Marriage Enrichment

Natural Family Planning Program

The Family Life Ministry Office sponsors and directs a Natural Family Planning (NFP) program presented by trained, certified practitioners who are married couples. The program provides knowledge of fertility awareness through a couple-oriented program consisting of four instructional sessions.

Click here for NFP chart (PDF).

Click here for more NFP registration information and dates.

Silver & Gold Anniversary Celebration

Each year, in early fall, the diocesan church celebrates a Sunday Evening Prayer service giving public expression and recognition to couples celebrating their 25th or 50th wedding anniversaries.

The service is celebrated by the Bishop in the Cathedral and all celebrating couples are invited to attend. Wedding vows are renewed and each couple receives a personalized certificate from the Bishop. All efforts are expended to enhance this Prayer Service as a joyful celebration.

This year's celebration will be held on Sunday, September 26, 2010 at 4 pm. at St. Francis of Assisi Cathedral in Metuchen.

Marriage Encounter Weekends

Marriage Encounter is a weekend enrichment program, designed to help build communication skills between husband and wife.

A series of presentations given by married couples and a priest provide meaningful reflection for couples to refocus on their relationship. The weekend affords private time for dialogue away from the distractions of every day life. Weekends are held at hotels in various locations.

Marriage Encounter Weekend Dates for 2010 are:

February 5 - 7
April 30 - May 2
July 23 - 25
October 22 - 24

Hispanic Marriage Encounter Weekends, contact
Eugenio & Teresa Porras at (732) 752-8156

For further information or to register, contact
Jack & Annarosa Parra at 1-888-827-NJME, or
Worldwide Marriage Encounter Central New Jersey

Retrouvaille - Ministry to Couples in Troubled Marriages

This program is sponsored and directed by the Office to assist couples who are presently experiencing serious problems in their marriage. It consists of a weekend experience from Friday night to Sunday afternoon followed by six post-weekend sessions. Both partners must express a desire to make the weekend and willingness to work at their marriage.

During the weekend presentations are made by three married team couples and a priest. The presentations deal with a technique of communication that enables a couple the ability to examine areas of their relationship. After each presentation the husband and wife have time in the privacy of their room to discuss the previous presentation as it relates to them.

The six follow-up sessions continue to rebuild the relationship.