Paul Keenan
The Irish Church needs to “seriously review” the practical, emotional, and spiritual supports it offers to those preparing for marriage, says Elphin’s Bishop Kevin Doran.
Addressing pilgrims at Knock basilica during the annual Novena, Dr Doran said that “some couples entering into marriage start at a disadvantage, because they are not adequately prepared.”
In this, he was echoing the message conveyed in Pope Francis’ Amoris Laetitia exhortation in which the Pontiff argues for a need to present marriage in a more positive light.
Bishop Doran explained: “Too often, [the Pope] says, we have focused on rules and regulations and we have found it difficult ‘to present marriage as a dynamic path to personal development and fulfilment’.”
This, Dr Doran said, had led him to consider the Church’s own role in marriage preparation.
“When I reflect back on the two recent Synods of Bishops, on Amoris Laetitia and indeed on my own experience as a priest,” he said, “I am convinced that we need to seriously review what we offer to young people in terms of practical, emotional and spiritual preparation for marriage.
“That, as Pope Francis says, is really a responsibility of the whole Christian community and it is not just about formal courses. It is also about sharing experience and sharing a vision.”