Adequate preparation for the Sacrament of Marriage is a matter of justice in the Catholic Church, Pope Francis said in a new Vatican document for priests and dioceses working with engaged couples.
The 97-page booklet prepared by the Dicastery for Laity, Family, and Life, is a pastoral tool for bishops, priests, married couples, and people serving in family ministry.
According to the pope, the document “is a gift and a task,” that underlining to offer guidelines that should be adapted to particular cultures and situations, rather than considering “magic formulas.”
In his preface, Pope Francis noted the Church’s years-long preparation for candidates to the priesthood and religious life, and how marriage preparation sometimes only lasts a few weeks.
It is therefore a duty of justice for the Mother Church to devote time and energy to the preparation of those whom the Lord calls to so great a mission as the family,” he said. END