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Patrick J. DiVietri, Ph.D. It is of benefit to consider the general concerns which face priests in preparing couples for marriage and the couples’ disposition.
A. Practice And Acceptance of Faith 1. The religious practice and attitude towards religious values is a major concern since it is the outstanding predictor of healthy marriages yet 33% of the couples attend mass each Sunday. B. Interfaith 1. The divorce rate is 3-4 times that of mutual faith[1] a) Majority of these couples do not practice b) At least one is weak in their faith C. Maturity and Proper Disposition 1. Generosity or Selfishness 2. Ignorance of Faith 3. General Education of the individuals D. Cohabitation and/or Pre-Marital Sexual Relations 1. Fear, Guilt, Anger, Intemperance 2. The use of contraception 3. These affect one's openness to turn to God. a) Non-Practice of faith E. Family Life 1. Remote preparation is the major influence upon the couple. There is a relationship between family experiences and one's attitude towards the Church. This can affect trust and confidence.
A. Ideologies which promote selfish tendencies and Cynicism 1. Hedonism, Consumerism, Relativism, Subjectivism, Utilitarianism B. The culture expresses a cynical view of life and marriage (this may sometimes be perpetuated by the priest) 1. Children as objects with relative value 2. The dignity and meaning of the child is lost. "The child" is separated from marriage. C. Lack of recognition of Proper Authority D. Failure to acknowledge the moral authority of the Church E. Futility 1. Couples are becoming more aware of the futility of the world’s view of marriage and hope that the Catholic vision may be possible 1. How long have they know each other? 2. How have they spent their time together 3. How much time do they have to prepare? top12 month engagement provides an extended opportunity to establish a relationship with the couple. |
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Please be aware that another website is using the Family Life Institute and Dr. DiVietri's name without authorization. Considering the nature of the website and the contents it links to we are not naming the imposter website or giving a link to it. The Family Life Institute is currently seeking what recourse it can take to stop the activities of the website in question.
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