17 Jan Spread the Word …. Marriage Week Feb 14th 2026
National Marriage Week is next month – a wonderful opportunity for Church communities to focus on couples and family life.
You might like to see whether your parish is planning anything special. If not, a very simple contribution could be to offer cake or refreshments after Mass, creating a moment to celebrate and encourage couples. Pope Francis often reminded us of the call to accompany young couples – this is part of the mission of Christian married couples, and very much part of our Teams charism.
The Sunday beginning Marriage Week includes the second reading from 1 Corinthians 2:1–5: “Not with lofty speech or wisdom… but with a demonstration of Spirit and power.” A gentle reminder that it is not so much our words as our presence and witness that speak.
The Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales has prepared a Marriage Week Novena and other helpful resources: www.cbcew.org.uk/marriage-week/
If you would like Teams leaflets for your parish, please contact Alan and Gaynor (literature@TeamsGB.org.uk).
Another simple idea is to ask your parish priest to include the weekly “Marriage Matters” snippet in the parish newsletter. These short (30-word) reflections are linked to each Sunday Gospel in the three-year cycle and offer a lovely focus for conversation over coffee: www.marriagecare.org.uk/how-we-help/two-in-one-flesh/
Finally, during Marriage Week, you might choose a quiet couple sit-down:
light your candle, pray “Come, Holy Spirit”, ask one another how you truly are, and pray with the Gospel. Hear again the blessing: “You are the light of the world.”
Then ask each other: “How can we shine – and in which direction?”
With every good wish for Marriage Week,
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