In holding families as the fundamental keystone to society, the first community to which every person belongs, the Office for Marriage and Family life provides support, training assistance, and resources. Contact our office or explore resources below for singles, engaged couples, marriages in different phases, and parents to encourage nurturing your marriage and family into a domestic church.
Renewed: 7 Steps to a Joyful Marriage
Renewed, provided by the popular Real Life Catholic, is a course for couples of all ages – whether newlyweds or celebrating 50 years of marriage. The series is about making marriages stronger and relationships richer. The course consists of 21 videos on 7 different topics. Each video is short and is followed up by discussion questions for the married couple. Couples can move at their own pace.
Renewed is relevant to both spouses because it is raw, honest, and therefore has the potential to transform your relationship. Only when we talk about unpleasant or difficult topics can we really find freedom. For more information, please visit Real Life Catholic.
Choice Wine
Integrating the latest findings from modern science with the timeless teaching of the faith and the wisdom of the saints, The Choice Wine: 7 Steps to a Superabundant Marriage places authentic marital happiness within every couple’s reach. By opening to couples the interior life of the Holy Family at Nazareth, The Choice Wine helps couples to experience a foretaste of Paradise in their marriage and family.
The Choice Wine introduces couples to the 7 Steps to a Superabundant Marriage over 9 sessions in an interactive, multi-media experience. Couples may experience it by themselves at home, or with other couples either in a Home Group or at their church. While the timing of the sessions can be flexible, it is recommended to run consecutive weeks with as few breaks as possible. A retreat version is available to accommodate the need for a weekend timeframe.
For more information, please visit The Choice Wine.
Building a Eucharistic Marriage
Building a Eucharistic Marriage is a 7-part online video series that connects 7 areas for therapeutically strengthening your marriage with 7 areas of deepening your relationship with Christ through the Eucharist. There are options for couples who want to purchase an individual copy for home use or for parishes who would like to purchase a license for running the video series at their parish. The Parish License comes with a leaders' guide, unlimited participant guides, as well as advertising options and participant discounts on their own copy of the program.
If your parish is interested in learning more about Building a Eucharistic Marriage date nights, please contact Gracie Ortiz, Marriage and Family Life Specialist at 217-321-1124 or [email protected] to learn more.
For more information about bringing this to your parish, visit Building a Eucharistic Marriage.
Click on the "Buy Now" button and plug in the discount code: SpringfieldILDiocese1
Marriage in Christ
Every individual and every couple needs God to love them for love is a shared work between God and us. From their mission, Marriage in Christ aims “to strengthen married couples in habits of love, aided by the Holy Spirit so they may be witnesses to the love of Christ in the world.”
Marriage in Christ offers seminars for parishes as well as seminars at home, which includes 5 awesome date nights!
For more information, please visit Marriage in Christ
Date Night Ideas
Visit For Your Marriage for an entire list of date night ideas under categories such as "free", "cheap", "outdoorsy", and "at home".
Couple Prayer Challenge
Provided by the Diocese of St. Augustine, the Couple Prayer Challenge is a week-long commitment to live the witness of the sacrament of marriage by deepening your relationship with one another and growing in intimacy with God.
It is not a competition! But rather, an opportunity.
For more information, please visit Couple Prayer Challenge
Catholic Link provides various articles, podcasts, and much more – and they have some specifically for Marriage! Resources can be used in discussion groups, between couples, or just for some informational reading.
Begin your search at Catholic Link
Married Life Resources
For Your Marriage, part of an initiative of the United State Conference of Catholic Bishops, seeks to communicate the meaning and value of married life for the Church and for society. The website helps couples at all states of life to understand and live God’s plan for happy, holy marriages by providing educational and spiritual resources.
The website can be used by singles, engaged, married couples, or parents, and also provides a press kit for parish media. For more information, please visit For Your Marriage
50 Year Anniversary Mass
Each year, the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois holds a special Mass for couples married 50 years or more at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Springfield. All couples married 50 years or more are invited to attend this special event with Bishop Thomas John Paprocki.
More information about this event, usually in September, is featured on the Events page.
JPII Healing Resources
The John Paul II Healing Center’s mission is to embody the teachings of St. John Paul II by bringing restoration and healing into the lives of those seeking a deeper intimacy with Jesus Christ. Visit their site to find resources such as their book Be Devoted and their Unveiled retreat.
Restore
Married counselors Patrick and Sarah created Restore as an online, self-led marriage resource that gives spouses the opportunity and the tools necessary to heal and restore their relationship. Restore works on communication skills, conflict, roadblock, building empathy, and so much more. Explore all the resources they have to offer.
Alexander House
The Alexander House’s mission is to empower couples with tools and knowledge they need to build and sustain strong marriages, form families and build community while offering hope and healing. The Alexander House teaches couples and individuals about God’s plan for marriage with a desire for joy and happiness, equips couples on how to disciple each other, and trains spouses to be Marriage Disciples. They offer events and programs in person and online.
Retrouvaille
A lifeline for married couples, Retrouvaille offers retreats all over the country. It is for those considering separation or those already separated or divorced. There is always hope of reviving your relationship. Information regarding their retreat weekend experience, post-weekend sessions, and monthly support can be found here.
Breakthrough
This online resource helps spouses in distressed marriages. Giving insights and practical tools, Breakthrough believes no situation is beyond hope no matter how much hurt has occurred. This program can be done as an individual participant or with a companion such as a minister or counselor. This program is designed to support an individual spouse, not married couples. Courses have privacy assurance.
- Miscarriage support
- Support for infertility
- Support for those facing chronic illness or pain
- Support for those caring for an aging loved one or a child with special needs
- Resources for those caring for an aging parent
- Resources for family caregivers
- Support for divorced Catholics
- Annulment information
- Support for those who grew up in a divorced home
- Grief support
Breaking Free from Pornography
If you or someone you love is struggling with pornography, know that you are not alone, and that true freedom is possible. The reality is that you don’t have to look for porn. Pornography is looking for you. If you yourself are not struggling, you absolutely know and love someone who is.
Am I dealing with a Pornography Problem or an Addiction?
What does a pornography problem look like?
The Facts about Pornography
We are literally 3 clicks away from hard core porn any time we open our devices.
How Pornography Becomes Addictive: 3 Dimensions
Pornography is a difficult topic to talk about.
What is Needed for Recovery?
Many who struggle with pornography feel there is no hope of change.
How to Get Help
Comprehensive resources specifically for men, women, spouses, and parents can be found below.
We thank Integrity Restored (integrityrestored.com) for permission to use their educational content on our website. Integrity Restored provides education, training, encouragement and resources from a truly Catholic perspective to help people break free from pornography, to heal relationships, and to assist parents in preventing and responding to pornography exposure.
Meet Our Staff:
Director
Gracie Ortiz
217-321-1124
[email protected]