California bishops and a marriage ministry collaborate to enhance family life and relationships

In an effort to strengthen parish life and address declining marriage rates, the California Catholic Conference has partnered with Communio, a national marriage ministry based in Virginia. This partnership is a continuation of the California bishops' "Radiate Love" initiative, launched in July 2024.

Auxiliary Bishop Timothy E. Freyer of Orange, an executive officer for the CCC, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership. He believes Communio's methods and processes have been reported to build healthy marriages and families. Kathleen Domingo, executive director of the California Catholic Conference, shares this sentiment, stating that she believes Communio will benefit marriages and families in the state.

The partnership aims to make every Catholic parish in California a "relationship hub." Damon Owens, the Director of Church Growth at Communio, explained that they hope to change the current trend by partnering with California's Catholic bishops and encouraging parishes to attract new parishioners. Communio provides resources for singles, couples preparing for marriage, and those seeking enrichment or repair for their marriages.

The "Radiate Love" initiative includes monthly reflections, prayers, videos, homiletic guides, and social media graphics. The culmination of this initiative will be a "Love IRL (In Real Life) Marriage Summit" on Sept. 26 at Christ the Light Cathedral in Oakland, California.

The declining marriage rates and the breaking ties between marriage and children have been a cause for concern for California's bishops. In a letter to the faithful, they expressed their worries about these trends. The National Center for Family and Marriage Research at Bowling Green State University reported a decades-long downturn in marriage rates, with the number of those walking down the aisle in the U.S. plummeting almost 60% since 1970.

The Institute for Family Studies highlighted a rise in "gray divorce," with seniors ages 65 and up seeing a 15% divorce rate in 2022, approximately three times their cohort's rate during the 1990s. The Public Policy Institute of California found that just under 55% of "prime-aged adults" in California were married, and only 57.6% of teens were raised in "intact homes."

However, there is a glimmer of hope. According to the Centers for Disease Control, divorce rates have declined over the past 20 years. The average marriage age in the U.S. is now between 28 and 30, and midlife first marriage rates have risen since the 1990s.

The "Radiate Love" initiative aims to help families become witnesses of God's love through marriage and family life. By partnering with Communio, the California Catholic Conference hopes to foster strong, healthy marriages and families, attract new parishioners, and revitalise parish life in every corner of California.

California bishops and a marriage ministry collaborate to enhance family life and relationships