ON THE COVER:   Wedding rings symbolize married life, which "has a unique nature and value as vocation" (Inside ML, page 4). This issue focuses on the sacrament of marriage and ministry from a variety of perspectives.

From Inside ML: When we talk about vocations, the first image that pops into our collective mind is rarely that of married life. We have been conditioned to elevate the ordained and religious life as being “true” vocations; everything else is secondary or subordinate. We revere the celibacy to which few are called over the chastity to which we are all called regardless of our way of life. In all of this we risk reducing married life to a means of producing more of the faithful, more priests, more religious. In reality, married life has a unique nature and value as vocation. As the foundational family unit, it is at the root of community life in which “all members of the family exercise the priesthood of the baptized in a privileged way ‘by the reception of the sacraments, prayer and thanksgiving, the witness of a holy life, and self-denial and active charity’ (Lumen Gentium 10). Thus the home is the first school of Christian life and ‘a school for human enrichment’ (Gaudium et Spes 52 §1). Here one learns endurance and the joy of work, fraternal love, generous — even repeated — forgiveness, and above all divine worship in prayer and the offering of one’s life” (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1657). In short, marriage is the first example of Christian living.(More)

FEATURES

Since it is your intention: Parish hospitality toward engaged couples
Linda Moses
Making first contact

Give them strength: Parish support for hurting couples
Patricia Crane Ennis
Early and careful intervention

As they begin to live this sacrament
Kathy and Steve Beirne
Nurturing the sense of God's presence in marriage
 

Forever and ever: How marriage affects your ministry  
Don and Chris Paglia
Marriage as the domestic church

Christ abundantly blesses this love: Celebrating the rite of marriage well 
Mary Ann Paulukonis
Marriage as act of worship

DEPARTMENTS

Inside ML / Donna M. Cole

Worship Times / Todd Flowerday

Liturgy Formation: Easter Season - Pentecost 2009 / Kay Murdy, Darren Henson

The Word Alive / Anne Louise Bannon

Sung Prayer / David Haas

Keeping the Faith / Leisa Anslinger

At the Table of the Word / Bruce Janiga

Moving Rite Along / Ada Simpson

Sacred Space / Mary Patricia Storms

Bridge Work / Ron Raab

Bulletin Insert: Order of Mass / Paul Turner
Bulletin Insert: English Translation / Paul Turner

For more bulletin insert resources, try the Index of Bulletin Inserts

Calendar

Marketplace

• Parish Resource Directory
• Advertisers Index for this issue
• Bulletin Board
• Classified Ads
• Artists Directory
• Online Artists Directory

Discussion of Current Issue

SUBSCRIBE TODAY!