In 1987 the Committee for Family Life of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, under the chairmanship of Bishop Christopher Budd, launched a 3 year initiative to foster the pastoral care of marriage and family life within parishes. Between 1987 and 1989 six units of materials covering different stages and phases of family life were published. Though dated most of these materials are now available here to download. With a few provisos they may still be of interest, even if only as a 'then and now' comparison. 

The materials were sent to dioceses and also published, though not entirely, in issues of Briefings over the three years of the project.  It was stressed from the outset that this was not a structured programme but was intended to be the basis of "further development by each diocese for particular needs".  

Please remember that all books, contact details and other resources mentioned are no longer necessarily current and that any advice, terminology and information contained in these documents may no longer be considered as respectful or good practice. These are pieces from the archives and must be treated as such. The Project Office is grateful to the Diocese of Menevia and to Canon Frank O'Sullivan in the Archdiocese of Southwark for making it possible to share these materials.  

Pastoral Care of Marriage and Family Life. (Report of a meeting to explore pastoral care at local level prior to bishops' pastoral letters for the Feast of the Holy Family 1986) Briefing 9 Jan 1987 Vol 17: 1 pp 15-16

Parish Support in the Early Years of Marriage. Briefing Special issue. 23 Jan 1987 Vol17: 2 (Report of a pilot scheme 1981-6 "to explore ways in which priests and laypeople can work together so that the lives of young people and of the whole parish family may be enriched".)

Unit 1: Setting Out Together. Pentecost to Advent 1987

Contents Page | Introduction: Setting the Scene Theologically |Ways of Using the Pack | Section A: Social and Community Action Projects | Section B: Talking Points for Families and Groups | Section C: Natural Family Planning | Section D: Baptism | Section E: Dealing with Difficult Situations | Section F: Liturgy | Section G: A Diocesan Response 

Unit 2: A Shared Life

Contents and Introduction: A Sharing Church | Section A: Social and Community Action Projects | Section B: Practical Ideas Within the Family | Section C: Organisations for the Care of Families | Section D: Single Parent Families | Section E: Grandparents | Section F: Liturgy | Section G: Various Blessings  

Unit 3: Being Together. Pentecost to Advent 1988 

Contents Page | Introduction: Marriage | Section A: Preparing for Marriage | Section B: The Marriage Relationship | Section C: Mixed Marriages | Section D: Organisations Caring for the Married Couple | Section E: Single Adults | Section F: Liturgy

Unit 4: Adapting and Adjusting. Christmas 1988 to Pentecost 1989

Contents Page | Introduction: Coping with Change | Section A: Young Adults | Section B: Moments of Change | Section C: Checks and Balances | Section D: Unemployment | Section E: Special Concerns | Section F: Liturgy | Section G: Organisations 

Unit 5: Healing and Forgiveness

Contents Page | Introduction: Healing and Forgiveness | Section A: Reconciliation  | Section B: Marital breakdown and Separation |  Section C: Unemployment  | Section D: Addictions and the Family | Section E: Problems of Belief  | Section F: Checklist for Disabled People | Section G: Organisations for Special Illnesses | Section H Liturgy

Unit 6: The End is the Beginning

Contents Page | Introduction: The End is the Beginning | Section A: Old Age | Section B: Ways of Caring | Section C: Caring for the Dying | Section D: Death | Section E: Bereavement | Section F: Resource List