Marriage & Family

"Today, if they are to give a truly human face to society, no people can ignore the precious good of the family, founded on marriage... Thus the Church cannot cease to proclaim that marriage and family are irreplaceable and permit no other alternatives... the Christian family has a very noble mission that it cannot shirk: the transmission of the faith... Parents are the first evangelisers of children, a precious gift from the Creator, and begin by teaching them to say their first prayers. In this way a moral universe is built up, rooted in the will of God, where the child grows in the human and Christian values that give life its full meaning. "
- Pope Benedict XVI, Letter to Participants in the Fifth World Meeting of Families.

MARRIAGE AND FAMILY OFFICE

“The future of humanity passes by way of the family” - John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio, 86

The Marriage and Family Office promotes the truth, goodness and beauty of marriage and family life. It draws on Catholic teaching to support marriage and family as one of the main foundations of a healthy and flourishing society.

What is the Marriage and Family Office?

The Marriage and Family Office is a new agency that has been established within the Archdiocese of Sydney to extend the research, policy, educational and pastoral activities that the Church undertakes with respect to marriage and family issues. These include marriage and family issues generally but with particular attention to deepening the understanding of how marriage is different to other forms of relationship; marriage enrichment; parenting, and especially fatherhood; effects of divorce and separation; the interests of children; and pre-marriage relationships.

The office operates under the supervision of the Episcopal Vicar for Life, Bishop Anthony Fisher OP and the direction of the Archbishop, George Cardinal Pell.

Why have such an office?

The Church is very committed to proclaiming its teachings about the gifts of marriage and family. The Church is already providing support through various Archdiocesan agencies which serve marriage and family through their work in the areas of education, welfare, health and catechesis. However, this work needs to continue and to expand.

“Today, if they are to give a truly human face to society, no people can ignore the precious good of the family, founded on marriage. ‘The matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life, is by its nature ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring’. (can 1055): this is the foundation of the family and the patrimony and common good of humanity.” (Letter to Participants in the Fifth World Meeting of Families, Pope Benedict XVI).

To this end, the Marriage and Family office seeks to:

• Work with existing groups engaged in marriage and family activities
• Promote marriage education, within the Church and the wider community, where necessary producing and developing literature and resources, as well as organizing speakers and events.
• Support marriage educators, welfare workers, parish priests and teachers
• Encourage local marriage and family initiatives
• Assist family groups and organizations in providing support to youth
• Conduct research and prepare public submissions to assist the Church in its lobbying work to defend the truth about the gifts of marriage and family
• Seek new ways to proclaim the truth, goodness and beauty of marriage and family within Australian society

Contact Details

The Marriage and Family Office is headed by Chris Meney who lives in Sydney with his wife and eight of their nine children. Chris has degrees in science, arts and religious education and has recently completed his Masters in Bioethics at the John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family. He has been involved with both Church and secular family organisations over many years.

Chris looks forward to meeting and working with priests, parishes, other agencies and schools to assist them in proclaiming the Church's teachings about the gifts of marriage and family life.

Please feel free to contact him at at marriageandfamily@sydney.catholic.org.au or on 02 9390 5368.