Before “I Do” CTK’s Marriage Vocation Program
CTK’s family and life ministry (FLM) facilitates the conduct of the Marriage Vocation Program (MVP).
The MVP is a two-day pre-marriage seminar to be attended by the engaged couple as one of the requirements for a church wedding. The seminars are conducted every quarter, with an average of forty couple attendees every weekend. The MVP was first conducted in CTK in January 1996, and is a brainchild of Drs. Doy and Estrelle Lopez, who used to head the Family and Life Ministry. The two-day seminar covers six topics: 1) The Sacrament of Matrimony; 2) Images of Love; 3) Effective Marital Communication; 4) Sexual Expression of Married Love; 5) Responsible Parenthood and Natural Family Planning, and; 6) The Journey Ahead.
A couple speaker shares on the topic assigned to them. A priest talks about the Sacrament of Matrimony. After the talk, all attendees will be asked to answer a questionnaire based on the given topic. Each couple-attendee will then be given time to discuss and share their answers. To further assist the couple attendees to have a better grasp of the topics, they will also be given time to discuss their answers within a smaller group of couples, which is facilitated by one of the FLM-MVP members. Other activities that make the weekend memorable are also conducted but are kept as a surprise. On the second day, Holy Mass is celebrated with a special prayer for the couples. A minigraduation follows, as each couple receives their certificate of attendance.
The MVP attendees come from all walks of life and are of various ages. Others are quiet and would just be listeners, while some are outspoken and would express their feelings and thoughts willingly. Though the MVP is a requirement to get married in church, couples, as they listen from one talk to another, would discreetly approach the FLM-MVP team and express their surprise at how the sessions have become an eye-opener for them, and that the sessions have allowed them to discuss matters that, they realize, are most important for married couples. Engaged couples tend to focus on wedding day preparations and fail to discuss the after-wedding days ahead of them. The two days spent in CTK gives them a peek at how married life will be, and couples learn the best paths to take through the questionnaires and discussion.
It gives great satisfaction for the FLM-MVP team to hear good feedback from the attendees. To be of assistance to the couples as they take the first few steps toward a successful and God-centered married life gives us so much joy in our hearts. We are thankful to God that we are given the opportunity to be His stewards.
