Our mission is to assist parishes and families throughout the Catholic Diocese of Memphis in West TN to recognize, honor, integrate, serve, and build up the Domestic Church by offering programs and services that center on the many forms and stages of family life from conception to natural death.

Oversees and coordinates all diocesan family ministry efforts, including marriage preparation, family support groups, Pro-Life support, separated, divorced and widowed Catholics ministry, Rachel’s Vineyard for post-abortion trauma, parenting workshops, and many other family support groups.

Diocesan Celebration of Wedding Anniversaries

Married couples throughout the Diocese celebrating 25, 40, 50 and 50 plus years of marriage in 2023 are invited to attend.

St. Ann Catholic Church 10:00 AM ­–  Saturday, June 24, 2023

Important Details

  • We want to honor couples who celebrated their special dates in 2023
  • Each couple will receive a certificate from Bishop Talley
  • There will be a light reception following the Mass.
  • We are limiting this celebration to the anniversary couples only.

Registration Deadline – June 16, 2023

  • You are welcome to ask a family member to help you register, so we have the correct information. 

    Click on this link Anniversary Registration

  • If you have any questions about this event, please contact Sharon Kowalke, in the Evangelization and Faith Formation Office, at 901-373-1234.

 

Sanctity of Life Committee

The newly formed Sanctity of Life committee started meeting in 2023. Deacon Rick Martin is the Diocesan liaison. Please contact the Pastoral Services department by calling 901-373-1234 for more information, for assistance or to join this vital committee that meets monthly.

Their mission statement is: “Affirming that all human beings are created in the image and likeness of God, our mission is to protect and advance the sanctity of human life from conception to natural death throughout the Catholic Diocese of Memphis.”

Pregnant and Need Help? A friend is waiting. 

If you are pregnant and need help, you can phone a friend (at Birthright) by calling 800-550-4900 – 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. All services are free and confidential. 
If you are in the Memphis metro area, you may call 901-327-8109.

Pro-Life Support

Feast of Annunciation is MARCH 25

March 25 is the Feast of the Annunciation, marking the visit of the Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary, announcing that she would be the mother of our Savior, the Word made flesh. It is also the day of an international pro-life celebration: the International Day of the Unborn Child. Established by St. Pope John Paul II to coincide with and honor the Feast of the Annunciation, the pope wanted people in every part of the world to celebrate the gift of life by remembering all unborn human life. In inaugurating this day in 1999, the great champion and defender of human life united the universal Church in a single act, boldly proclaiming the value of every human life while in the same moment stressing the necessary importance of defending the most vulnerable.

The Feast of the Annunciation invites us to reflect upon the wonder of every human life, particularly the amazing world of the developing child yet to be born. John Paul II wanted a culture of life to be created and cultivated. Let us make this a greater reality!

If you have any questions please contact the Diocesan Office of Pastoral Life: 373-1234 or email: sharon.kowalke@cc.cdom.org

For more information about the International Day of the Unborn Child, visit: https://www.hli.org/2014/03/march-25-international-day-unborn-child/

 

Marriage Preparation

On behalf of the Catholic Diocese of Memphis, we congratulate you on this most joyous occasion of your engagement to be married. It is an honor for us to join your “journey of faith” as you begin the process of marriage preparation. May God bless you as you prepare to enter into the Sacrament of Matrimony.

The marriage preparation process is a multi-phased and collaborative effort under the direction of our local parish communities and the diocesan Office of Family Ministries.

Diocesan guidelines for the Sacrament of Matrimony:

You can download the Diocesan Policy for Marriage here:  Catholic Diocese of Memphis Diocesan Policy for Marriage

Step One: Six (6) months to a year before your wedding date, contact your parish priest. You can expect to meet with the priest or deacon several times to complete and go over the Pre-Nuptial Marriage Investigation; take the Foccus survey; go over results of the survey; and to plan the liturgy for your wedding day. If you have a former marriage you will need to receive a Declaration of Invalidity before a wedding date can be scheduled.

Step Two: Register for the diocesan marriage preparation class. This class is designed as a tool to help you and your fiancé prepare for a lifetime marriage. We highly recommend you attend the earliest class possible before your wedding date.

Register For A Catholic Marriage Prep.com Course online or attend an in-person class listed below. http://www.catholicmarriageprep.com/

 

In-Person Class

Catholic Diocese of Memphis
Marriage Preparation Workshop

“To Be One in Flesh”
September 16, 2023
9:00am to 3:00pm
St. Benedict at Auburndale

8250 Varnavas Dr, Cordova, TN 38016
Lunch will be included

Cost is $135 per couple (paid in advance, online only)
Register and pay at:  www.cdom.org/
(Or go to: cdom.org, select “Events” at the top and select “Marriage Prep Workshop” in the drop down)

This workshop satisfies part of the diocesan requirement for Marriage Prep. Please check with the priest or deacon who is preparing you for Marriage to see what else is required.

Step Three: Attend the online Natural Family Planning class, which is an all-natural method, scientifically based on the woman’s patterns of fertility and infertility. It promotes romance, respect and communication between husband and wife. It can deepen the intimacy between you and your spouse, strengthen your relationship and give you peace. Click here to register for the NFP Program.

Another option for an NFP class can be found be go to the Guiding Star Memphis website https://guidingstarmemphis.org/

Guiding Star Memphis – Resources

Guiding Star Memphis serves women with a “wholistic” approach that honors their bodies and hearts; recognizing our needs are not only just physical but emotional and spiritual as well. We believe each woman who comes to our center is much greater than a number or a problem to be solved. She is a beautiful creation who deserves medical care that cares about her. To learn more about Guiding Star Memphis, click here https://guidingstarmemphis.org/

Guiding Star empowers women to learn about, embrace, and love their natural bodies. We greet women on various stages along their individual journeys and welcome them into the Guiding Star Project community.

We provide access to services and support for women’s physical, mental, and family health over the course of a lifetime. We know women are capable of amazing things, but we also know sometimes we all need a guiding star on this journey through life.

Here is a list of classes that are currently scheduled. Please click on this link  https://guidingstarmemphis.org/events/ to find the details and to register for all events.

*Guiding Star Memphis Location: We are Moving!

For more information about Guiding Star, click on this link https://guidingstarmemphis.org/

Living Happily Ever After: Resources for Download

For Your Marriage

Marriage Unique for a Reason

Resources to Overcome Pornography Addiction

Are you in a relationship with someone who has a problem with pornography? Has pornography affected your marriage and family life? Find resources and local support groups below that can help bring healing into your relationships, marriage and family life.

Online Resources

STRIVE https://www.cardinalstudios.org/strive

Integrity Restored  https://integrityrestored.com/

The Porn Effect http://theporneffect.com/

 RECLAiM  Sexual Health https://www.reclaimsexualhealth.com/

 

Podcast

Love People, Use Things
https://player.fm/series/love-people-use-things

Protect Your Devices

Covenant Eyes
https://www.covenanteyes.com/

Net Nanny

https://www.netnanny.com/

Rachel’s Vineyard

Rachel’s Vineyard Retreat will be September 15-17, 2023

A weekend Retreat that really helps both men and women, healing the trauma of abortion – one weekend at a time. Participation is totally confidential. Don’t be afraid to call! Contact Cathy at (901) 463-3595 or rvmphs@gmail.com.  Website is: www.rachelsvineyard.org or call (877) HOPE 4 ME for more information.

Additional Materials Available

Download the Rite for Blessing a Child in the Womb

Divorce Ministry

Divorce Isn’t Always Black & White – Let’s face it…

For a variety of reasons some (sadly) legitimate and some not, Catholics do find themselves civilly divorced. No matter who “left”, for everyone it can be a time for panic, fear, anger, depression, rage, anxiety, and sometime a temptation to even lose faith.

  • So where do you stand with the Church?
  • Do you struggle with the unfairness of it all? Are you feeling relieved and guilty?
  • Are you excommunicated?
  • Is loneliness driving you crazy?
  • Want to know if you can marry again?
  • How long should you wait for your ex to return?
  • What’s going to happen to the kids?
  • Where WAS God in all this?
  • Can I get an annulment?
  • How can the Church say if my marriage was valid or not?

For more information Catholic Diocese of Memphis Office of Evangelization and Faith Formation @ 901 – 373 – 1234 or email sharon.kowalke@cc.cdom.org

Marriage Enrichment

Looking for the perfect weekend? A weekend to bring a husband and wife closer together?

A WWME weekend is exactly what you are looking for. At a Worldwide Marriage Encounter, the original and continually updated marriage enrichment program, you get away from the distractions of everyday life and focus on each other. Instead of simply listening to lectures about how to improve your marriage, you will actually be improving your marriage.

The Weekend will take place on June 10-12, 2022 at Our Lady Queen of Peace Retreat Center in Stanton, TN.  For more information you can visit the website WWME.ORG or call 901-409-4570.

Questions? Contact Sharon Kowalke at sharon.kowalke@cc.cdom.org for details.

For more information, visit the  Worldwide Marriage Encounter website.

Retrouvaille

Retrouvaille (pronounced Re-Tro-Vi and meaning rediscovery) is a program which offers help to couples who live in the disappointment and pain of a troubled marriage. If your marriage has become unloving and uncaring; if the relationship has grown cold and distance; if there is no meaningful communication or if you feel despair or disappointment then we believe a Retrouvaille Weekend can help your marriage.

If you and your spouse want to save your marriage and both of you are willing to put forth your best effort then we invite you to sign up for the weekend and the six follow up sessions. Retrouvaille is a Catholic based ministry but couples of other faiths are welcomed.

Visit the HelpOurMarriage.org website.

Bereavement Ministries

Purpose

The Diocesan Bereavement Ministry is designed to be a source of education, resources, and support for parishes and caregivers in their ministry to the Bereaved so that those grieving a loss through death may experience the healing comfort of God in their faith community.

Goals
  • Provide support to those active in bereavement ministry.
  • Assist parishes interested in beginning bereavement ministry.
  • Provide training to all who are interested in bereavement ministry as a companion or facilitator of support groups.
  • Provide information about resources, publications, training, and conferences.
  • Provide up-to-date information about grief support groups in the Diocese.
  • Present grief/loss/bereavement topics at diocesan conferences.
  • Collaborate with other area groups involved in bereavement work.
Please check your parish bulletin for support groups in our Diocese.

Beginning Experience Weekend

The purpose of the Beginning Experience ministry is to facilitate the grief resolution process for separated, divorced and widowed persons and children of these losses; thereby enabling them to again love themselves, others and God. We accomplish the purpose by offering quality, copyrighted, grief resolutions programs presented by training peer ministers. These programs are designed to move grieving people through a transformational process to a new beginning in their lives. To find a weekend retreat, go to the Beginning Experience Website.

Catholic Sixty Plus Singles Ministry

“Where faith and fun meet and mingle”

Please check your parish bulletin for a meeting of a group of 60+ singles.

For more information please contact the  Office of Evangelization and Faith Formation at 901.373.1234, or send an email to sharon.kowalke@cc.cdom.org.

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