Why marriages fail and how to avoid it

By Fr. Lester Mendonsa, Judicial Vicar 

Married couples as much as and perhaps more than any other institution, have been beset by the many profound and rapid changes that have affected society and culture. Many continue to live this situation in fidelity to the institution of the family. Others have become uncertain of the ultimate meaning and truth of conjugal life. Knowing that marriage constitutes one of the most precious of human values, the local Church in Tucson under the pastoral servant leadership of Bishop Weisenburger and his pastoral team, continues to offer her help to those who are uncertain and anxious and searching for the truth, on order to live in peace before God and society. Supporting the first, illuminating the second and assisting the others, the workshop led by Fr. Lester Mendonsa, Judicial Vicar, and initiated by the St. Stephen Ministry of Santa Catalina Parish, Tucson under the title: “A Canonical Understanding why Marriages Fail and How to Avoid it: Church Law - The Causes - The Nullity” offers relevant catechesis to the attendees, ministers in their own right who continuously reach out to couples seeking to live in peace before God and their own conscience. This makes the Marriage Preparation course and the need for a canonical element in it of vital importance and will be offered to other categories.  

The Parish of Santa Catalina and the versatile members of the St. Stephen Ministry supports such people more than ever. It provides them much respect, solidarity, understanding, and practical help, like so many of our permanent deacons and priests.    

What is the relevance of the workshop today? The need for constant renewal by all people involved in the field is sine qua non to bringing right judgment in deciding to marry, a decision to be made with the heart and with the mind.  

The Diocese of Tucson continues to make untiring efforts to put at their disposal the canonical means of entering true marriage and resolve profound anomalies that may sadly be discovered or even ignored at the time of consent; with due regard to those who sincerely try to save their first marriage and have been unjustly abandoned; and those who through their own grave fault have destroyed a canonically valid marriage. Finally, there are those who have entered a second union for the sake of the children's upbringing; and still others who are sometimes subjectively certain in conscience that their previous and irreparably destroyed marriage had never been valid. 

This workshop seeks to enlighten all concerned persons in their ministry to help the divorced, and with solicitous care to make sure that they do not consider themselves as separated from the Church, their merciful mother. 

When: Thursday, November 9, 2023, from 9:00am to noon at Santa Catalina Parish in Tucson