By: Bishop Michael C. Barber, SJ
Dear brother priests,
As you may know, this year our Diocese has been discerning and preparing for the implementation of the Catechumenal Pathways for Married Life—the pastoral guidelines from the Dicastery for Laity, Family, and Life that invite us to renew the way we accompany couples and families.
This beautiful document emphasizes the importance of forming and inspiring the next generation through the witness of strong marriages, ongoing formation, and support for couples at every stage of their vocation, whether they are newly married, navigating parenthood, or facing moments of difficulty.
Over the past months, we have been gathering resources and partnering with organizations to help you and your parish community implement these pathways. Please know that we are available and eager to support you in this process.
The purpose of this email is to inform you about the new model for Pre-Marriage Preparation that the Diocese will begin implementing in January 2026, in response to the Catechumenal Pathways for Married Life. Marriage preparation can no longer be limited to a single day or weekend experience, it must be a true process of accompaniment and formation.
At the beginning of November, the Office of Marriage and Family Life will be sharing the new guidelines and posting updated information and resources on the diocesan website.
In the meantime, please feel free to reach out to Karen Flores with any questions. She will be offering presentations at both the parish and deanery levels for clergy, parish staff, and couples interested in serving as parish or diocesan facilitators.
You may contact her at kflores@oakdiocese.org or by phone at 510-267-8392.