Covenant of Love :: Strengthening the Church One Marriage at a Time

 

The Marriage Group is the inaugural ministry of the Covenant of Love Marriage Ministry. It is a monthly gathering of couples to assist them in becoming the “true” domestic church by providing tools and information to help them live out God’s plan for the sacrament of marriage and to create a vibrant and positive community of married couples.

The Alexander House, through the Covenant of Love Marriage Ministry, will provide comprehensive and practical resources taken from the teachings of the Catholic Church. We encourage all married couples to conform their lives to these teachings in order to enrich their lives and strengthen their marriages as they work to build their domestic churches.

*Note
The Covenant of Love Marriage Group is for couples who are in a relatively healthy marriage who value their relationship and want to develop and maintain a strong, enduring marriage; this group is not intended to minister directly to marriages that are experiencing serious problems, but they are invited to attend.


Why have a Marriage Group?
Marriage is certainly one of the most important commitments that individuals make in their lifetimes. Healthy marriages are associated with greater physical and emotional well being. Couples who share a Christian commitment and are part of a faith community have stronger marriages.

Marriage is also the cornerstone relationship for family life. Children do better in life when their parents enjoy a good marriage, so it is important that our churches are filled with many wonderful programs to strengthen this Sacrament. In the Covenant of Love Marriage Group you want to foster a sense of community. The group is open to all married couples and you want to avoid the feeling of exclusivity.

Parish Based
There are many who have inquired about the possibility of hosting the Covenant of Love Marriage Group in individual homes. Although this is an option, we strongly encourage you to keep the group in the parish. Again, one of the goals is to create a positive marriage community in the Parish and that cannot be achieved by meeting in individual homes. Also, John Paul II veheminantly spoke about the need for the parish to be proactive in the life of the married couple and he cited this as a specific responsibility of the local parish, and this gives the Church opportunity to fulfill this obligation.

The Goal
The goal is to assist couples in becoming aware of the strengths of their marriage as well as identifying areas in which they wish to grow. The verbal sharing during the sessions will help couples learn alternative ways of communicating, solving problems, and handling differences. It is our hope that these groups will introduce ways for married couples to allow God to exist at the center of their marriages.

The marriage group meets once a month for a two-hour period, utilizing material created by The Alexander House. It is suggested to meet on a Friday, but due to the busy schedules that people have, there is no perfect night. Here is the formation for the evening in the Covenant of Love Marriage Group.

Format for a Session
Time: 2 hours – Catechesis, faith-sharing, prayer and refreshments

 

Below is an excerpt taken from episode #3 of the Marriage Works in Christ series.