Engaged Sponsor Couples

 

Sponsor Couples are a major component in the preparation for marriage for engaged couples that want to marry in the Catholic Church. The Diocese of Dallas approved marriage preparation is the Sponsor Couple Program. If you are interested in becoming one of our Sponsor Couples we would love t have you! Please contact Cecilia Jones at 972-596-5505 ext. 4222 or by email at cjones@eseton.org There is training you'll need to go through and Cecilia will walk you through our marriage preparation and what is required both in preparation and documentation by our Diocese. 

Basically when a couple contacts us about getting married in the Church and needs to prepare for marriage they speak either with Sonia Moran or Cecilia Jones, both are on staff here at Seton. Engaged couples complete an assessment online called FOCCUS. Once they have completed the assessment, FOCCUS Inc. website notifies our Family Life Coordinator, Cecilia Jones, and she reviews the assessment for any hot topics are areas of concern. Once those concerns are dealt with she assigns a sponsor couple to visit with the engaged couple to complete their marriage preparition.

As a Sponsor Couple you would be trained on how to read the assessment called  FOCCUS  and given the skills necessary to facilitate open discussion between, and with, the couple. Here at Seton we prepare approximately 60 couples for marriage each year; some marry here others are preparing for marriage in another City, State or sometimes another Country!  As a

Sponsor Couple you determine how many couples you want to work with, some Sponsor Couples are always available others will do 2 a year, or seasonally; it is up to you. When you do meet with an engaged couple it is done in your home,  4 - 5 meetings which run typically for 2-2 1/2 hours each session. Engaged Couples have homework between session that you discuss at the following visit and YOU set when the meetings will be with the engaged couple!

Before an Engaged Couple gets to you, the Sponsor Couple, they will have met with one of our Priests if they are marrying here at Seton or Cecilia Jones. If the couple is marrying outside of Seton then engaged couples will meet with Cecilia only.  

The Sponsor Couple Program is a definitive way to make a difference in another couple's lives as they set out together in marriage. It reflects the values and ideals of marriage as sacred and helps the engaged couple come to that awareness by facilitating discussions between them and to be a mentor to them as they take this major life step.

Sponsor Couples need to be married at least 5 years, be in a valid Catholic Marriage and in a happy marriage! You do NOT both have to be Catholic, many of the couples we prepare for marriage are of mixed religions.

If you are interested in becoming a Sponsor Couple or would like more information please contact Cecilia Jones in the Family Life Office, we would LOVE to have you!! You can reach Cecilia at 972-596-5505 ext. 4222 or by email at cjones@eseton.org