US Church kicks off National Marriage Week

By Vatican News staff writer

The Catholic Church in the United States is observing its annual National Marriage Week, which takes place 7-14 February each year on the occasion of Valentine’s Day, February 14.

Strengthening marriage in communities

The Week was first launched by the US Catholic Bishops’ Conference (USCBB) in 2010 as part of an international campaign seeking to bring together individuals, organizations, and businesses for strengthening marriage in communities and influencing modern culture. 

It encompasses the World Marriage Day celebrated every second Sunday of February, which is on February 13 this year, and ends on Valentine's Day.

The week offers an opportunity to reflect on the importance of married life as a gift of God not only to the couple, but to the Church as whole and the world.

'Called to Joy of Love'

This year’s celebration is focused on the theme: “Called to the Joy of Love”, referring to Pope Francis' 2016 Encyclical on the family Amoris Laetitia, which also inspired the title of the new National Pastoral Framework for Marriage and Family Life Ministry that was approved by the U.S. bishops during their Plenary Assembly in June 2021.

The theme was chosen to highlight the many ways that married couples and families are accompanied by the Church to live out the call of love.

Resources available

US Bishops are encouraging to use a number of resources made available each day of the Week through the USCCBs’ social media channels: Twitter (@USCCB), Facebook (www.facebook.com/usccb), and Instagram (https://instagram.com/usccb).

Daily content will include a series of videos featuring how various ministries are fortifying married couples in the midst of challenges such as infertility, grief for the loss of a child, and the stressors of daily life.

Live-streamed events will be available through USCCB social media channels, including the recitation of the Holy Rosary for married and engaged couples and a conversation on what it means to care for a sick spouse.

For dioceses, resources available include a flyer that may be used by parishes as a bulletin insert, as well as social media graphics for download in English and Spanish at ForYourMarriage.org/celebrate-national-marriage-week/.

The USCCB also offers resources to the faithful for the promotion of marriage as a lifelong union of one man and one woman through its dedicated websites ForYourMarriage.org, PorTuMatrimonio.org, and MarriageUniqueForAReason.org.