Marriage Formation Coordinator

Catholic Marriage Preparation

Become a Marriage Formation Coordinator and play a vital role in ensuring the success of the Witness to Love process. As a passionate advocate for the sacrament of marriage, you'll champion the formation of enduring unions, guiding couples with expertise, warmth, and meticulous attention to detail, fostering a culture of love and commitment within your parish community.

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Who is a Marriage Formation Coordinator?

Marriage Formation Coordinators are essential for the success of the Witness to Love process, shaping the tone and direction of marriage preparation within the parish community. They serve as passionate advocates for the sacrament of marriage, guiding couples with expertise while fulfilling various crucial roles in the preparation process.

Your Key Role

The Witness to Love Marriage Formation Coordinator (MFC) sets the tone for how marriage preparation happens in the parish. The MFC coaches mentors and supports engaged and civilly married couples while they go through the Witness to Love experience and beyond.

Ideal Qualities

The role can be assumed by a priest who has very few weddings, but more commonly it is assumed by a deacon, religious, or lay individual or couple. Ideally, it is someone over the age of 30 who is passionate about marriage and evangelization. Approachability and attention to detail are great qualities in an MFC.

Time Commitment

Time commitment for a coordinator may vary, depending on the number of marriages and whether you have a support team or not. Be prepared to dedicate 3-5 hours to each couple and their mentors in the span of their formation journey.

Support for Mentor Couples

The MFC provides coaching, support and guidance to the mentor couples, ensuring they feel equipped and confident in their role. The MFC can connect mentors to opportunities for marriage enrichment and greater involvement in the life of the parish.

Resource and Information Hub

Coordinators are aware of local and online resources to help couples thrive in their marriage. They can quickly connect couples to Fertility Awareness/ Natural Family Planning instructors, psychotherapists, and ministries that serve their unique needs.

Engagement with Parish Life

The coordinator provides ongoing support for newlywed and mentor couples and makes an intentional invitation to the various apostolates offered, ensuring a lasting connection within the parish community.

How it Works

Witness to Love utilizes the Couples Roadmap as a structured framework for newlyweds and engaged couples to journey through during their marriage preparation process. Emphasizing the importance of investing at least 6 months in their future marriage and family, the Roadmap guides couples through various stages of preparation, ensuring they have ample time to delve into important topics and strengthen their relationship.

Scroll through the marriage preparation process below, including directions and suggestions.

Phase I

Initial Preparation

📍 Meet with parish priest or deacon

📍 Choose a mentor couple

📍 Complete the premarital inventory

📍 Attend coaching session with parish marriage coordinator

Phase II

Marriage Formation

📍 Register for a natural Family Planning course

📍 Monthly meetings with mentor couple

📍 Complete parish Scavenger Hunt activities

📍 Attend parish, diocesan or Witness to Love Be More Retreat

📍 Theology Discussion Night with mentors and clergy

Phase III

Nuptial Mass Planning

⛪ Wedding Liturgy Planning with your priest or deacon

💍 Wedding Day

Phase IV

Post-Wedding Day

📍 Join parish Be Light small group marriage communities

📍 Continued accompaniment from mentors

📍 Thriving generations of marriages and families

Phase V

Civilization of Love

👩‍❤️‍👨 Mentor younger couples

🎁 Find other ways to use your gifts to serve your community

💻 Get ongoing support from Witness to Love through our online resources

Step 1

If you or you pastor have not done so already, tell us about your parish and order a Parish Review Pack to see our content and begin a conversation with our Parish Support Team.

Step 2

Complete your Witness to Love Certification Training course and the final quiz to begin your parish rollout process.

Step 3

Once your training is complete, our Parish Support Team will reach out to schedule your follow-up phone or video call to plan your rollout and answer any questions!

Step 4

Order your materials! Each Engaged or Civilly-Married Set includes materials for the bride, groom, and their mentors.

Step 5

Have a Kick-off Sunday to introduce Witness to Love to your parish. Show the Witness to Love Intro Video and use the sample pulpit announcement from the Parish Rollout section in your training course.

I truly believe that marriage programs such as Witness to Love are huge benefits for married or engaged couples wanting to be successful in their marriage. These events and/or programs that can benefit families as a whole, allow families of the parish to socialize and spread their faith and love while also spending quality time together.

Payton and Cody

WTL Couple, Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, LA

All of the Be More Retreat videos had an impact because each video had something special to offer whether it be about keeping God at the center, raising your children in the Catholic faith or even finances. All of the videos were great resources that outlined marriage between man and woman.

David and Clare

Diocese of Venice, FL

It is so important to encourage and strengthen marriage relationships, especially in this day and culture. Families will change the world. Being a Witness to Love mentor couple can help encourage young couples to rise to this challenge. It also has had such a positive impact on our own marriage. In the day to day of a busy life, it was nice to be forced to sit down and have regular, honest conversations about deep topics with one another.

Sara and Dan

Mentor Couple, Diocese of Madison, WI

Begin your journey!

The Witness to Love Marriage Formation Coordinator has a broad, deep and lasting role. Enroll to get certified or contact our team to learn more about the role of an Marriage Formation Coordinator.

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