Marriage and Family Ministry Office of Pro-Life, Marriage and Family Ministry Melinda Knight, Director mknight@youngstowndiocese.org Phone: 330-744-8451, ext. 289 Fax: 330-744-2848 Daniel Thimons, Associate Director dthimons@youngstowndiocese.org Phone: 330-744-8451, ext. 273 Fax: 330-744-2848 God's Plan for a Joy-Filled Marriage: One-Day Retreat for Engaged Couples Click here to register.   Click to read God's Design for Marriage Catholic Diocese of Youngstown Office of Pro-Life, Marriage and Family Ministry 144 West Wood Street Youngstown, OH 44503 The Office of Pro-Life, Marriage and Family Ministry is responsible for developing a comprehensive marriage and family life enrichment, education, and advocacy plan. The Office of Pro-Life, Marriage and Family Ministry: Provides resources and assists with marriage preparation Encourages and promotes Natural Family Planning Facilitates development of parish family life committees and programming Coordinates the biannual diocesan wedding anniversary celebration Provides education on chastity and the dangers of contraception and cohabitation Conducts focus groups of married couples to assist the US Bishops in their marriage initiative. CHURCH DOCUMENTS Familiaris Consortio (The Role of the Family) Apostolic Exhortation by Pope John Paul II on the Christian family in the modern world Humanae Vitae (Of Human Life) Encyclical by Pope Paul VI on the regulation of birth Arcanum Encyclical by Pope Leo XIII on Christian marriage Casti Connubii Encyclical by Pope Pius XI on Christian marriage Gadium et Spes (Joy and Hope) Vatican II: Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World Veritatis Splendor (The Splendor of Truth) Encyclical by Pope John Paul II on the splendor of truth Persona Humana (The Human Person) Vatican Declaration on certain questions concerning sexual ethics Letter to Families Letter by Pope John Paul II to families Mulieris Dignitatem (The Dignity of Women) Apostolic Letter by Pope John Paul II on the dignity and vocation of women Letter to Women Letter by Pope John Paul II to women Letter to Children Letter by Pope John Paul II to children Letter to the Elderly Letter by Pope John Paul II to the elderly The Truth and Meaning of Human Sexuality Pontifical Council for the Family guidelines for education within the family Preparation for the Sacrament of Matrimony Pontifical Council for the Family guidelines for marriage preparation Letter on the Collaboration of Men and Women in the Church and World Vatican letter on the collaboration of men and women Charter of the Rights of the Family Vatican charter on family rights Considerations Regarding Proposals to give legal recognition to homosexual unions Vatican response to proposals to give legal recognition to homosexual unions Between Man and Woman US Bishops answer questions about marriage and same-sex unions Letter to the Bishops on the pastoral care of homosexual persons Vatican letter concerning the pastoral care of homosexual persons LINKS Committee on Marriage and Family Information from the US Conference of Catholic Bishops on marriage and family Natural Family Planning Learn God's design for human sexuality and family planning National Association of Catholic Family Life Ministers Organization of Catholic family life ministers Retrouvaille: A lifeline for married couples A program to help couples heal and renew their marriage relationship Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend retreat that helps couples rediscover the joy of marriage Courage Apostolate Apostolate ministering to those with same-sex attraction One More Soul Website dealing with Natural Family Planning, teen abstinence and the dangers of contraception