The Brazilian marriage catechumenate program developed by André and Karina Parreira through the books Matrimony: Preparation Sessions and Matrimony: Deepening Sessions was the subject of a seminar held in Rome at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross.
During the event, the Italian edition of Matrimony: Preparation Sessions was officially launched. The book has already helped prepare more than 300,000 couples for the Sacrament of Matrimony and is currently available in more than 20 countries in Portuguese, Spanish, English, and now Italian.
The seminar consisted of two keynote presentations.
In the first presentation, Marlon Derosa offered a historical overview and an in-depth analysis of the Church’s Magisterium on marriage preparation. His lecture examined documents from the Second Vatican Council, texts issued by the Italian Episcopal Conference, Familiaris Consortio, the 1996 document Preparation for the Sacrament of Marriage, and finally Catechumenal Pathways for Married Life, published by the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life in 2022.
In the second presentation, André Parreira shared the pastoral journey that he and his wife have undertaken in developing these resources as a service to the Church. He explained the process behind the creation of the program and its materials, designed to provide dioceses and parishes with a practical tool for a more comprehensive and lasting marriage preparation, fully aligned with the principles and pastoral guidelines proposed by the Holy See.
The initiative was born from André and Karina Parreira’s pastoral experience accompanying engaged couples and married couples. Inspired by the Church’s call for a serious, gradual, and catechetical preparation for marriage, what began as a local pastoral response has, over the years, grown into a comprehensive program now used in thousands of parishes, more than 100 dioceses, and over 20 countries.
The seminar brought together priests, university professors, scholars, and pastoral ministers from several countries to reflect on the contemporary challenges of marriage preparation and the ongoing pastoral accompaniment of married couples.
According to the authors, the mission of the apostolate is to provide dioceses and parishes with resources that assist both in the formation of those preparing for the Sacrament of Matrimony and in the continued accompaniment of married couples, helping to foster stronger, more conscious, and enduring marriages.
The publication of the Italian edition represents another important milestone in the international expansion of this evangelizing initiative, which originated in Brazil and today contributes to marriage formation in a wide variety of cultural and ecclesial contexts.
Coverage in Catholic Media
The initiative was featured in an exclusive interview with André Parreira and Marlon Derosa on Vatican Radio. The complete audio interview and accompanying article are available on the Vatican News website, highlighting the significance of the seminar for the Church and presenting key elements for understanding the renewed emphasis on the marriage catechumenate.
The event was also covered by ACI Digital, which emphasized the initiative’s contribution to promoting a broader dissemination of the Church’s teaching on the marriage catechumenate while presenting practical pastoral resources to support the necessary and urgent renewal of marriage preparation.
As part of a missionary journey aimed at sharing a simple yet effective pastoral tool for strengthening families through marriage preparation, the seminar placed particular emphasis on deepening the understanding and dissemination of the Church’s teaching on the marriage catechumenate.
In Brazil, these pastoral resources, including the books mentioned above, may be purchased directly through the Pius publishing house’s online bookstore:
