National Marriage Week USA, World Marriage Day Celebrate Gift of Marriage

WASHINGTON—National Marriage Week USA and World Marriage Dayare opportunities "to celebrate the gift and blessing of marriage," said thechairman of the Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth of the U.S.Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). "Promoting and strengthening marriage rema

WASHINGTON—National Marriage Week USA and World Marriage Dayare opportunities "to celebrate the gift and blessing of marriage," said thechairman of the Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth of the U.S.Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

"Promoting and strengthening marriage remains a pastoralpriority of our Conference," wrote Archbishop Charles J. Chaput of Philadelphia,in a letter to his brother bishops. "Marriage, both as a natural institutionand as a Christian sacrament, is an irreplaceable good for society and allpeople."

National Marriage Week USA is celebrated each year February7-14, and World Marriage Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of February,this year February 12.

The USCCB provides numerous resources that can be of assistanceto bishops, priests and lay leaders in promoting, strengthening and defendingthe gift of marriage as the lifelong union of one man and one woman, includingthe websites For Your Marriage, Por Tu Matrimonio, and Marriage: Unique for a Reason. Archbishop Chaput encouragedparticipation in the "Call to Prayer forLife, Marriage, and Religious Liberty," aninvitation to prayer and sacrifice for the protection of life, marriage, andreligious liberty in the country. His letter and additionalresources, including a homily resource and bulletin insert, are available online:www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/marriage-and-family/national-marriage-week.cfm.

A daily virtual marriage retreat for National Marriage Weekis also available through Facebook: www.facebook.com/foryourmarriage.This year's retreat draws from both Pope Francis' apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia (2015) and the USCCBpastoral letter Marriage: Love and Lifein the Divine Plan (2009).

The celebration of National Marriage Week in the U.S. beganin 2002, originating from Marriage Week International. World Marriage Day, heldthe second Sunday of February each year, was started in 1983 by WorldwideMarriage Encounter.---Keywords:Archbishop Charles Chaput, National Marriage Week USA, World Marriage Sunday,marriage, family, USCCB, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, For YourMarriage, Por Tu Matrimonio, Marriage Unique for a Reason, Call to Prayer# # #MEDIA CONTACT:Norma Montenegro Flynn O: 202-541-3202