Office of Marriage and Family Life

• Diocesan-Wide Calendar of Events

• Life Issues (Beginning and End)

• Links(Includes Anti-Pornography Resources)

• List of Louisiana Spiritual Directors

The Office of Marriage and Fam ily Life assists the Bishop by conducting programs and activities which strengthen marriage and the family. The office provides education and ad v ocacy on issues related to the sanctity of marriage and family life.

Prepare/Enrich (Registration and Information)

Marriage Preparation Programs

• Foundations (One-Day Class/Remarriage In Christ)

• Catholic Marriage Prep Online

• Engaged Encounter (Weekend)

• In-home Marriage Prep (Please contact your church parish for details on this parish-based program.  NOTE:  This program may not be available in all church parishes.)

• Witness to Love (Please contact your church parish for details on this parish-based program.  NOTE:  This program may not be available in all church parishes.)

As an ordinary part of marriage preparation, Natural Family Planning classes are offered throughout the Diocese in different methods. To find out more about the methods and available classes, please visit our NFP page. For NFP to be effective, you should complete the class before your wedding date.

The Office of Marriage and Family Life Ministry offers and/or recommends several Marriage Enrichment Programs.  Please click here for further details.

Have you or someone you know suffered the breakdown of a marriage and family?  Please click here for resources and information approved by the Office of Marriage and Family Life Ministry (including information on a 6-week divorce recovery program based on The Catholic's Divorce Survival Guide by Rose Sweet).

The mission of the Suicide Survivors ministry is to provide healing and compassionate support in a Christian setting to those who have suffered the loss of a loved one through suicide.  

Survivor of Suicide Support Group
The death of a loved one is never easy and grief is experienced differently for everyone. The Family Tree provides support groups that are especially tailored for survivors of suicide. These group meet in Lafayette and Opelousas and provide a safe place for those who have lost a loved one to suicide to share their struggles, experiences, and pain as they struggle to regain hope and strength. The groups are facilitated by licensed counselors and are open to all survivors of suicide over the age of 18. The groups meet on two evenings each month and are free.

Please click HERE or call the Family Tree at (337) 981-2180 for more information about the groups or to register.

Each year the office of Marriage and Family Life offers two retreats entitled "A Catholic Journey through Grief."  Please click here for additional information as it becomes available. 

Please click here to access information on the following Young Adult Ministries around the diocese, including:

• YADA

• ​Theology on TAP

• Christ in the City

• RISK

Please click on the items below for additional information on annual events sponsored by the Office of Marriage and Family Life Ministry:

• Diocesan Marriage Anniversary Mass

• Mothers' Day of Reflection