Called to Marriage

[Translate to Englisch:] Projektbild: Zur Ehe berufen
© Kristina Litviak

The Central Institute for Marriage and Family in Society (ZFG) of the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt is investigating in cooperation with the Chair of Moral Theology of the University of Regensburg marriage preparation courses in the dioceses of Regensburg, Passau and Eichstätt. Furthermore, marriage preparation seminars in other countries will be examined as examples. The project started in October 2018 and will run until September 2021.

In his post-synodal letter "Amoris Laetitia" Pope Francis emphasizes that in marriage preparation one must start with the "variety of topics of genuine interest to young people" (AL 208), it is not about "teaching them the whole catechism" (AL 207).

But what issues really interest young people and which are a meaningful content of the Church's marriage preparation?

These questions are addressed by the research project "Called to Marriage" which examines Catholic marriage preparation seminars closer. While the Chair of Moral Theology (Prof. Dr. Scheule) of the University of Regensburg is dedicated to the theological aspects of the research project, the ZFG is responsible for the empirical-sociological accompaniment of the investigation.

In order to get a most comprehensive picture of the views of (future) couples there are three points in time of the questionnaire survey in the project.

Couples receive the first questionnaire when they register for a church wedding. Here, for example, the participants' expectations regarding a marriage preparation seminar are asked and their social profile is recorded.

The second questionnaire is answered by the participants directly after the seminar. Besides the evaluation of the course, this questionnaire also asks whether the topics and spiritual questions of the young couples were addressed. In addition, the second survey also asks for the views of the leaders.

In order to find out the effect of the marriage preparation seminar beyond the duration of a single seminar day/weekend, the participants are asked by e-mail six to eight weeks after the end of the seminar to answer another questionnaire online using the Qualtrics survey tool.

In addition to the survey in the dioceses of Regensburg, Passau and Eichstätt, it is also planned to conduct guideline-based interviews with leaders of marriage preparation courses on an international level to get suggestions for seminars in German-speaking countries.

Following the empirical analysis of the quantitative and qualitative data, the results will be theologically analyzed and reflected upon at the Regensburg Chair of Moral Theology.

After the evaluation, the results and their theological analysis will be discussed and classified with the practical experts and international guests in a workshop, and the concrete significance for marriage preparation will be highlighted.

As a result, a practice book with the working title: "Called to Marriage" will be produced.