Ministry Leader Corner

Are you passionate about accompanying couples and parents as they learn ways to better form, reveal, enjoy, and protect their families?

Those interested in serving alongside the Family Life Ministry may find many options listed in this Ministry Leader Corner that provides training, volunteer, and collaboration opportunities:

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Family Life Essentials 

A Quick Tour on a Lifelong Journey

This workshop is designed for staff and lay ministers in charge of family life ministry or marriage preparation at the parish. We will cover an overview of over 50 programs and services stewarded by the Family Life office, the marriage preparation cycle, and additional services for our parishes.

Facilitator: Ricardo Medina, Director of the Family Life Office.

Celebrating Matrimony: Meaning, Preparation, Best Practices

We will be sharing recommendations for preparing engaged couples and families to experience an encounter with Christ in the celebration of matrimony through an overview of the “new” Order of Celebrating Matrimony, including the theology and best practices for marriage preparation.

Other topics include:

• The three different options for celebrating the rite.
• Understanding the role of the parish.
• How to experience the meaning of the prayers, readings, and rituals in this celebration.
• Sample general wedding guidelines for parishes, Including guides for meeting with clergy and parish staff, as well as guides for liturgy, music, flower, and stipends. 
• Receive sample worship aids, programs, pew cards, and engaged couple prayers to use with couples in planning sessions.

 Facilitator: Dr. Dan Girardot, Associate Director of the Office of Worship

The Marriage Paper workshop

The Paper workshop will address all the document and Cannon Law questions you have and never dared to ask before. In a practical session designed for parish staff responsible for marriage preparation, we will cover couples’ files, prenuptial interviews, and common questions on this topic.

Facilitator: Anne Bryant, Director of the Archdiocesan Tribunal.

Prepare/Enrich Facilitators Training

This one-day program trains facilitators (couples and individuals) on how to provide the Prepare/ Enrich couple's assessment to those preparing for marriage.

Certificate in Family Life

In collaboration with the University of St. Thomas, this multi-dimensional program is taught at a master’s degree level for parish and ministry organizational leaders. The focus is providing solid theological and updated pastoral formation in professional ecclesial ministry.

If the Spirit is calling you to accompany families please contact us at: cfc@stthom.edu or visit www.stthom.edu/flc

Natural Family Planning (NFP) Instructors

The Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston supports the funding of NFP instructor certification programs and provides teaching assistance and networking opportunities. Programs are available in both English and Spanish.

Marriage Preparation Leading and Sponsor Couples

The Family Life Ministry provides extensive opportunities and ongoing support for those interested in serving engaged couples as they begin their preparation for marriage. Programs are offered in English and Spanish. 

Joe’s Master Class

Deacon Ly Nguyen offers this free YouTube video series inspired by the spirituality of St. Joseph to accompany young men as they mature into full adulthood.

This formation series provides profound guidance for obtaining fully conscious and active participation in the Mass.

For questions about integrating this program into your formation curriculum, please contact Ricardo Media at 713-741-8709 or rmedina@archgh.org

Other Opportunities

We have a very active Archdiocesan Marriage Preparation program that never stops. At this moment we have 8 different options available in English and Spanish and some of them are actively looking for expanding their teams. The archdiocese provides general orientation for selecting your ministry, networking opportunities, ongoing formation, access to retreat centers, and logistic support for celebrating your events. 

If you are interested in collaborating on the formation of new families with the profound and beautiful spirituality we have at the Catholic Church please contact our director, Ricardo Medina at 713-741-8709.

Para ver esta página en español, presiona aquí.

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