Office of Family Ministries and Outreach

About

The Family Ministry and Outreach office is here to provide resources, training, and supports to all those in the Archdiocese of Kingston. This page will provide you with resources and information intended to help you live your faith in a deep and meaningful way within your parishes, families and the wider community. We feel privileged to be able to walk with you in your faith journey from birth to the end of life, and everything in between.

Taylor Lynch
Director of Family Ministry and Outreach
family@romancatholic.kingston.on.ca

Sacrament of Marriage

Steps to Getting Married in the Archdiocese of Kingston
Congratulations on your engagement! We are thrilled you are about to enter the beautiful vocation of marriage and we look forward to walking alongside you as you embark on this journey. This will be a very busy season filled with plans, excitement, and anticipation.

A note on first contact: Once you have decided to get married, it is important that the first thing you do is contact your parish priest as soon as possible. If you do not regularly attend a parish in the Archdiocese of Kingston, or you live outside the boundaries of the Archdiocese of Kingston, please contact the Catholic church closest to where you live and to speak with the parish priest about your preparations.
1. Contact your Parish Priest
  
  In the Archdiocese of Kingston, we suggest that you contact your parish priest a minimum of six months before the date you wish to marry, though additional notice is preferable. Your parish priest will arrange a time to meet and discuss all the necessary steps to prepare you for your wedding day and marriage.
For those who have been previously married it’s important you contact your parish priest as soon as possible. This applies even if your previous spouse has died, or if the previous marriage did not take place in the Catholic Church.

As your first point of contact, your pastor will be able to guide you through the other steps and ensure that there is nothing that may prevent you from getting married in the Church.
1. Provide the Proper Documentation
Your parish priest will ensure you provide the proper documentation, including proof of age and recent baptismal certificates of the Catholic spouse(s). Baptismal certificates can be obtained by calling the church you were baptised at. Your parish priest will also have you fill out the required forms. If you reside outside of the Archdiocese of Kingston but will be marrying in one of our parishes, please factor in additional processing time for paperwork.
1. Complete marriage preparation
  
  Many couples spend the months leading up to their wedding focusing on the ceremony and reception details but the wedding day is only the beginning! The sacrament of marriage is a lifelong commitment and the Church wants you to prepare for it well. “Marriage prep” courses do not need to be treated as just another thing to be crossed off your wedding to-do list. Instead, couples should treat their marriage preparation as an opportunity to lay the foundation for a thriving and successful marriage beyond their wedding day. Topics may include the sacramental meaning of marriage, communication, finances, and natural family planning.
Many parishes offer Marriage Preparation Courses as part of their marriage ministry. Please check with the parish where you will be married to see if they have a program available.

A note on online courses: We understand that in some circumstances, couples are not able to attend pre-marriage courses in person. However, before signing up for any on-line pre-marriage course, you must speak to your pastor to ensure that the course you wish to take is approved by the archdiocese.
1. Make time for any additional meetings. 
  
  You may need to attend additional meetings with your pastor to go over the wedding liturgy (how your wedding will be celebrated including prayers, readings, and music), finalize paperwork, or follow up after marriage prep.
1. Obtain a Civil Marriage License. 
  
  You will need to obtain a civil marriage license for your marriage to be recognized by the government. Your pastor should inform you when they need this document by. Please see the Province of Ontario website for details.
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Are you already married but looking to:
- Improve your marriage
- Deepen your love
- Live more happily together
- And draw closer to each other...
The Marriage Encounter program can help!

Marriage Encounter is an experience which focuses on communication between husband and wife. It is an opportunity to spend a weekend together away from the distractions and the tensions of everyday life and to concentrate on each other as a couple. 

Information about Marriage Encounter can be found at www.wwme.org.

Learn more about the Sacrament of Matrimony:
- Bishop Barron on the Sacrament of Marriage
- Father Mike Schmitz on Outdoor weddings
- Planning a Catholic Wedding
- National Liturgy Office’s The Order of Celebrating Matrimony
- Pope Francis’ Amoris Laetitia: The Joy of Love
- Catechism of the Catholic Church: The Sacrament of Marriage (1601-1666)
- Code of Canon Law (cc. 1055-1165)

Marriage Preparation Courses

If you are planning to marry in the Archdiocese of Kingston, please contact your parish priest at least six months before you anticipated wedding date to begin the marriage preparation process.

The sacraments are efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us. the visible rites by which the sacraments are celebrated signify and make present the graces proper to each sacrament. They bear fruit in those who receive them with the required dispositions. (CCC 1131)

Why do I have to complete marriage prep to get married in a Catholic Church?

Catholics believe that marriage is a sacrament, a sacred and visible sign and channel of grace that gives us a foretaste of God’s love for us while we are here on earth. Entering into a sacrament well requires preparation.

Marriage preparation courses help you better understand the sacramental meaning of marriage, evaluate and deepen your readiness for married life, and gain insight into yourselves as individuals and as a couple. Though marriage preparation may take different forms, the goal is always to prepare couples for marriage by helping them identify common pitfalls and offering strategies for success. Your marriage preparation may cover such topics as the sacramental meaning of marriage, communication, finances, and natural family planning.

Many of our parishes offer marriage preparation courses throughout the year. Please check with the parish where you will be married to see if they have a program available.

Pre-Marriage Courses by Deanery

Central Deanery

Courses Run: February – April (with Retreat on the 4th Saturday of April) &
September – November (with Retreat on the 4th Saturday of November), each year.
Fee: $150 / Couple
Initial Contact: Your Parish Priest
For detailed course information, or to register for a session, please visit our website by clicking the link: https://sites.google.com/view/marriage-prep

Northern Deanery

Dates: TBA
Location: St. John Catholic High School, Perth
Fee: $100 / couple
Initial Contact: Your parish priest
Northern Deanery Contact: Cathy James, 613-812-2255 or cathyjames@live.ca

Eastern Deanery

Courses cancelled for the time being due to pandemic. Please contact your parish priest.

Western Deanery

Fall Dates: TBD
Initial Contact: Your parish priest

Online and/or self-directed Marriage Preparation Courses

A note on online courses: We understand that in some circumstances, couples are not able to attend pre-marriage courses in person. However, before signing up for any on-line pre-marriage course, you must speak to your pastor to ensure that the course you wish to take is approved by the archdiocese.

Catholic Engaged Encounter

(English Canada East) April 29-30-May 1, 2022 *pre-registration required

Better Together, Dynamic Catholic

Beloved, Augustine Institute

Joy Filled Marriage

Ascension Press *participation in a 2-hour live online guided discussion required

Separated and Divorced

Retrouvaille – A Lifeline for Married Couples

The Retrouvaille Program is for married couples that are struggling, not communicating well, and those who are considering separation or divorce. Those already separated and divorced but looking for marriage help are also able to attend. To learn more or find a weekend near you, click here.

New Life Support Group
A Catholic Ministry for the Separated & Divorced

CURRENTLY ON HIATUS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

Any individuals interested in taking on a leadership role can contact the family office: family@romancatholic.kingston.on.ca

Natural Family Planning

“The transmission of human life is a most serious role in which married people collaborate freely and responsibly with God the Creator It has always been a source of great joy to them, even though it sometimes entails many difficulties and hardships.” - Pope Paul VI, HUMANAE VITAE

Natural Family Planning (NFP) is an umbrella term used to describe the various natural methods of fertility regulation. NFP methods require reading the naturally occurring biological signs and symptoms of the fertile and infertile phases of a woman’s menstrual cycle. Such methods do not use drugs, devices, or surgical procedures to avoid pregnancy. When used correctly and with discernment, couples can use NFP to achieve or avoid pregnancy. The Church accepts NFP as a morally acceptable means for planning births and a tool for exercising parental responsibility within married and family life.

To get started on your NFP journey and to learn about the various method, click here and here.

See below for four popular methods of NFP

Billings Ovulation Method:
Managing Fertility….The Healthy Alternative

The Billings Ovulation teaches a woman to interpret her natural signs of fertility through all her changing life stages from puberty to menopause. It is easy to learn and is highly successful when used by a couple to achieve or avoid a pregnancy. This method engenders co-operation and respect between the woman and man. It develops love and concern for each other and for the child, thus enriching their relationship.

In Kingston, we have a Natural Family Planning Association office. Their teachers are available for Fertility Awareness presentations for teens, pre-marriage talks, parish information sessions and individual teaching appointments, in-person or virtually.

For more information on Billings:
WOOMB Canada
Kingston Area Practitioner
Kingston Natural Family Planning
Phone: 613-544-8495
Email: kingston@naturalfamilyplanning.ca

Serena Natural Family Planning –
The Sympto-Thermal Method

In the Sympto-Thermal Method (STM), the fertile and infertile phases of the menstrual cycle are identified by observing the woman’s morning temperature, cervical mucus (secretions that flow from the cervix to the vaginal opening during certain parts of the cycle), and, optionally, variations in the position, consistency and opening of the cervix.

Couples are taught to observe and chart these natural changes in the woman’s body to determine when she is naturally fertile of infertile. Then they abstain from intercourse during the fertile time if they wish to avoid pregnancy.

For more information on Serena and to find an instructor in your area:
Serena Ontario
Phone: (613) 728-6536
Email: ontario@serena.ca

Other Eastern Ontario Sympto-Thermal Instructor:
Ellen and James Hrkach, NFP Teachers (Couple to Couple League)
Online Instruction, Eastern Ontario
fullquiverpublishing@gmail.com

The Creighton Model (CrM) – NaProTECHNOLOGY (Natural Procreative Technology)

The Creighton Model (CrM) uses a woman’s observations of her cervical fluid or mucus to identify the fertile and infertile times of her cycle. By observing these changes, couples can decide when to have sexual relations, depending on whether they are trying to achieve or avoid pregnancy.

More information on Creighton Model
Creighton Model
Fertility Care Centres of America

Ottawa Area Practitioner
Lisa Detillieux BSc, CFCP
Email: ldetillieux@gmail.com

Toronto Area Practitioner
St. Marguerite Bourgeoys Fertility Care* sees patients virtually
Phone: 416-465-2868
Email: info@fertilitycare.ca

Online Instructor
Rebecca McEvoy, FCP
Email: rebeccamcevoy@pm.me

Marquette Model

The Marquette Method of Natural Family Planning uses the Clearblue Fertility Monitor (instead of cervical mucus) to identify the fertile days in a woman’s cycle. Women simply test their urinary hormone levels once each day and record the result on their chart. Marquette also has optional protocols to integrate mucus tracking, temperature reading, and urinary progesterone testing into the method.  Learn more about the Marquette Method here.

The method is taught by healthcare professionals—physicians and nurses—who are trained through the Marquette Institute for Natural Family Planning at Marquette University, a Catholic, Jesuit university in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

For more information on the Marquette Method:
Marquette University
Vitae Fertility

Online Instruction (Ontario Only)
Totally Yours Family Medicine

Online Instruction (USA Based)
Feminine Genius Ministries
Vitae Fertility

Instructor Database
Marquette Method of NFP Teachers Directory

Other Reproductive Health Resources

Fruitful Hollow – Catholic Infertility Resource

Dr. Christina Holmquist, ND
Experience treating patients with infertility and hormonal health concerns
Online – Ontario
Email: dr.holmquist.nd@gmail.com

Dr. Marianne Trevorrow ND
NFP support with Chart Neo App, Restorative Reproductive approaches for couples trying to conceive, & post-miscarriage support
Kingston & Ottawa Area Practitioner
Email: dr.marianne@ionacare.ca

Pearl and Thistle
NFP resources for families and parishes, charting for girls and single women, Boston Cross
Check method support
Online, USA-based

A note on NFP practitioners: Inclusion on the list does not imply that the Archdiocese of Kingston has endorsed the efficacy of any service offered by the private NFP or reproductive health practitioner. We cannot guarantee that you will be satisfied with each practitioner or the services offered. It is solely your responsibility to find out whether a practitioner possesses the qualities and qualifications that are most important to you. The field of NFP is constantly evolving. As such, we do not intend for this resource guide to be exhaustive and it may not be up to date. The information provided was current as of February 2022.

Recommended Reading

The following books have been recommended by the lay faithful of our archdiocese. We hope they will be a blessing to you and your family.

•   The Sinner's Guide to Natural Family Planning by Simcha Fisher
•   Sex Au Naturel by Patrick Coffin and Peter Kreeft
•   The Contraception Deception by Patrick Coffin
•   Holy Sex! By Gregory Popcak
•   Good News about Sex and Marriage by Christopher West

Additional Resources for Couples, Priests, and Lay Ministers:

Hamilton Diocese’s Family Ministry Office: Booklet on Natural Family Planning
Diocese of Detroit’s Natural Family Planning: A Guide for Priests and Lay Ministers
Pearl and Thistle’s Natural Family Planning in our Parish
When Can We Use NFP?
Fr Mike on Catholic Teaching on IVF and Contraception
Bishop Barron on Contraception and Social Change
Humanae Vitae , Pope Paul VI
Familiaris Consortio, Pope John Paul II
CCCB’s The Joy of Married Love

Liturgical Living

Liturgical Living

Through the Year

October Month of the Most Holy Rosary

Blessings for Backpacks

Our Lady of Sorrows

May Crowning at Home

Lent

Lenten Family Calendar

Lent 101

Be A Heart Lenten Guide

Holy Week Family Traditions Booklet

Solemnities

The Solemnity of
St. Joseph, March 19th

5 Ways to Celebrate
the Solemnity of St. Joseph

Solemnity of the Annunciation, March 25th

6 Ways to Celebrate the Annunciation

World Meetings of Families

World Meetings of Families
Since 1994, a World Meeting of Families has been held every three years in different places around the world. The gathering of families includes discussions pertaining to family life, a vigil, and the Festival of Families, along with a great Eucharistic celebration. The 10th World Meeting of Families: “Family Love: A Vocation and a Path to Holiness” will be held in Rome June 22nd – 26th, 2022. Families will be able to watch livestreams of the events in Rome, but we are also encouraging parishes to plan family centric events June 19th – 26th in our Archdiocese. We have compiled a number of links and resources on this page to help with your planning.

Daily Reflections

Upcoming Event: Family Mass & Picnic

You are cordially invited to celebrate the 10th World Meeting of Families on June 26th, 2022. Please join us for 10:30am Mass at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Kingston. Pack a lunch and walk or drive to City Park after mass to picnic with other families from across the Archdiocese. Soccer games for various age groups will be organized from 1:00 – 3:45pm. All are welcome! Only street parking is available, so please plan ahead and consider carpooling.

Parishes & families are invited to participate in the various events of WMF virtually via live streaming.

EWTN’s live coverage schedule of the “World Meeting of Families”

Rome from June 22-26, 2022

The meeting concludes the Year of Amoris Laetitia, a celebration of families in honor of the 5th anniversary of Pope Francis’ encyclical Amoris Laetitia or The Joy of Love

Full Program
Resources
- World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly Guide for Parishes and the Home