February 13, 2017
National Marriage Week is February 7-14
“The upcoming observances of National Marriage Week (Feb. 7-14) and World Marriage Day (Sunday, Feb. 12) provide an opportunity to celebrate the gift and blessing of marriage and to affirm and support engaged and married couples.” – Archbishop Charles Chaput
Prayer for Married Couples
Almighty and eternal God,
You blessed the union of married couples
so that they might reflect the union of Christ with his Church:
look with kindness on them.
Renew their marriage covenant,
increase our love in them,
and strengthen their bond of peace
so that, with their children,
they may always rejoice in the gift of your blessing.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
R/. Amen.
See USCCB news release: “National Marriage Week USA, World Marriage Day Celebrate Gift of Marriage” (January 31, 2017)
The Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth offers the following resources to bishops, priests, deacons, married couples, and lay men and women to help celebrate and live the great gift of married life.
- Letter from Archbishop Charles Chaput (Philadelphia), chairman of the Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth to all bishops, sharing with them the various resources available for National Marriage Week.
- Prayer for Married Couples
- Preaching Resource for World Marriage Day (Sunday, February 12): reflections on the Scriptures of the day to assist bishops, priests, and deacons in preaching about marriage.
- Bulletin insert with quotes from Pope Francis’ apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia