The Former Institution of Marriage

In recent months we have seen the understanding and idea of what marriage is change drastically.  PEW research has indicated that couples are entering marriage less often, later in life, and having a religious ceremony less often.  Priests commonly complain about doing weddings since they are over-loaded with cultural elements and can lack a sacramental spirituality.  These entities coupled with the more recent Domestic Partnerships and same gender unions, leaves the sacramental marriage seemingly antiquated.

Recent legislation, known as the DOMA Bill, seeks to define marriage as the union of a man and a woman.  The present administration is working against the bill, but the U.S. Catholic Bishops, some traditional protestant groups, and a small group of legislators are strong advocates of the legislation.  Part of the Bishop's contention is that same-sex unions, and the legislation that supports them, undermines the most basic teachings of the Church, as well as possibly forcing the Church to accept mandates which violate its teachings.

For the last several years the Church has faced various obstacles in doing ministry against government rules and regulations.  While I have no problem in DeKalb, in some places it is nearly impossible to visit Catholic patients in the hospitals without some sort of direct permission from the patient.  Government rules, most of which are well intentioned, are interfering with the normal work of church people.

Part of the solution for marriage is for the Church to reiterate for the faithful what it means to be 'Married' in the catholic Church.  Preparation programs need to be solid and contemporary.  Some of the programs which we use today have not changed much since the late seventies.  After marriage care will probably be as important as  the preparation itself.  Again one of the large difficulties that we face today is the lack of catechesis.  So we are always starting one page one, or so it seems.

Presently in the Rockford Diocese we are establishing a diocesan wide 'family' ministry.  It seeks to train the pre-married, married, widows and widowers, and families with children.  But this is what parishes should be doing anyway.  At St. Mary Parish we have Theology of the Body as part of our High School R.E. program.  The young people have never had religion presented in this way to them.  And, their parents are surprised at what they are learning.

It would be a sadness if marriage went the way of using salt at Baptism, or the blessing of the throats.  The better marriages we produce the greater the understanding will be as to what a marriage is.  It we have strong and vibrant marriages we will not need legislation.