- Bishop Nwobi Urges full Support from the Faithful
- Entrusts Deans, Diocesan Catechetical Commission and Board of Religious Education with Overseeing the Successful rollout of the Programme
In a landmark pastoral initiative aimed at strengthening the institution of Christian marriage and promoting sound family values, the Bishop of Ahiara Diocese, Most Rev. Simeon Okezuo Nwobi, CMF, has approved the establishment of seven marriage course centers across the diocese following the seven-deanery structure of the diocese. The Prelate while approving these centres called for the full support of the faithful, while also tasking Deans, Diocesan Catechetical Commission and Board of Religious Education with ensuring the programme’s successful take-off.
This pastoral initiative comes as part of the Diocese’s effort to provide a more structured, wide-ranging, and spiritually enriching formation for couples preparing for the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony. The decision underscores the diocese’s renewed pastoral effort to faith formation, deepening of marriage preparation, promoting of lasting family values, and deepening the Christian understanding of married life among intending couples. It also reflects the growing commitment of the diocese equipping intending couples with the spiritual, moral, psychological and practical knowledge required to build stable, Christ-centered homes capable of withstanding contemporary challenges of family life. It also reflects the Church’s unwavering dedication to safeguarding the sanctity of marriage as ordained by God and upheld by the teachings of the Catholic Church.
The newly established Marriage Courses centres which was formed following the deanery structure of the diocese will serve as hubs for intensive catechetical instruction and pastoral formation, offering intending couples the opportunity to deepen their understanding of the vocation of marriage before entering into sacred covenant. Through this initiative, the Diocese seeks to foster healthier marital relationships, encourage responsible parenthood, strengthen family unity, and raise children in an atmosphere of faith, love, discipline and Christian values.
Entrusted with the responsibility of planning, organizing, and facilitating the various formation centres, the Diocesan Catechetical Commission and the Board of Religious Education has mapped out strategies to kick-start this new initiative across the diocese. According to the approved schedule, classes will commence in August this year and will be held every Saturday beginning at 11:00AM at the designated marriage course centres.
Speaking with our crew on the pastoral initiative, Very Rev. Fr Anthony-Magnus Ezekwe, Chairman, Catechetical Commission, Ahiara Diocese explained that the comprehensive formation programme will expose participants to a wide range of topics considered essential for successful Christian family living. “The Deanery marriage Course centres is more of making the Marriage Courses effective, to prepare intending couples for the reception of the sacrament of Holy Matrimony. It also prepares them for the family life.” he added.
Highlighting some of the challenges the Church is facing today as regards catechetical formation, Fr Ezekwe made known to our crew that many stem from poor family upbringing on the part of parents. He emphasized that, “previously these marriage courses had a parish structure, but we observed that the preparations are not deepened due to lack of trained personnel to handle the courses as contained in the curriculum. By strategizing and establishing the deanery centres, we intend to employ experts among the religious and lay faithful that will assist priests in the various centres.” He mentioned that the marriage preparation courses will be done for three months covering at least four sessions per month for the three months which will amount to at least 12 sessions.
He further stated that the guideline for the courses will be based on the recently compiled Manual by the Canon Law Society of Nigeria, Owerri Ecclesiastical Province and endorsed by our provincial bishops titled: Preparing for Marriage: A Manual for Preparing Intending Couples for the Sacrament of Matrimony; a 12-Chapter work in line with the three months marriage course and the twelve sessions of the programme. The programme will cover a wide range of areas as regards family life which include: Sacrament of Matrimony, laws regulating marriage, the theology of Marriage and Church, the theology of Marriage and Church Law, Marriage relationships, The Family Economy and Management of Finances. Others include; Human Sexuality in married life, Marriage and Family Planning, Prayer and family life, the Family and Practice of Christian virtues, Necessary preparations for Marriage, and Wedding ceremonies and Reception Planning.
To ensure effective administration and quality delivery, the various deans will serve as supervisors of the seven marriage course centres located within their respective deaneries. This will also guarantee effective implementation and proper pastoral oversight. They will oversee the smooth coordination of activities, employ experts, monitor attendance, maintain uniformity in the delivery of the curriculum, and ensure that the programme achieves its intended pastoral objectives throughout the Diocese.
At the various centres, the deans will ensure adequate compliance from the intending couples and also examine and screen all the pre-marriage documents from the intending couples and as well at the end issue a certificate to the intending couples at the successful completion of the marriage course. Registration for the marriage courses will be the sum of N10, 000.00 to be paid by intending couples for running costs of the various centres. To ensure active participation, intending couples are free to register in any of the centres closest to them not strictly in their deanery. Participants are expected to attend all sessions faithfully as part of the Diocese’s requirements for adequate preparation for the celebration of Holy Matrimony.
The diocese believes that a well-prepared marital preparations will ensure peace in families, reduce family instability, strengthen the bond between husbands and wives, encourage lifelong fidelity, and nurture homes where children can grow in faith, virtue, and love.
The various centres are:
- Deanery: St Cyril’s Deanery, Ahiara
Centre: St Brigid’s Parish Nnarambia, Ahiara Centre
- Deanery: St Augustine’s Deanery, Ezi-Centre/Ezi-West
Centre: Christ the King Parish, Okpofe
- Deanery: St Monica’s Deanery, Nguru
Centre: Sacred Heart Parish, Nguru Centre
- Deanery: St Victor’s Deanery Ekwerazu
Centre: St Patrick Parish Umuokrika, Ekwerazu
- Deanery: St Cyprian’s Deanery, Enyiogugu/Okwuato
Centre: St Charles Parish, Enyiogugu
- Deanery: St Catherine’s Deanery, Ezi East
Centre: St Dominic’s Paris, Ezi- East
- Deanery: St Athanasius Deanery, Oke-Ovoro
Centre: Holy Ghost Parish, Uvuru
The Bishop has therefore called on Priests, Religious and Lay faithful of Ahiara Diocese to give the initiative their fullest cooperation by encouraging intending couples to register promptly and participate actively in the programme. He also charged them to ensure that eligible participants register at the designated marriage course centres closest to them ahead of the commencement date. Bishop Nwobi urged families across the diocese to continue upholding Christian values and to support young couples through prayer, guidance, and positive example.
With the establishment of these seven marriage course centres, the diocese has achieved a significant milestone towards the pastoral mission of evangelization, faith formation, and family apostolate. In the coming weeks, it is expected that the initiative will not only enrich marriage preparation but also contribute immensely to building stronger catholic families, revitalizing parish communities, and promoting a culture of faithful, lifelong, and fruitful Christian marriage for future generation.
