The Archdiocese of Jakarta renewed its call for a more profound and sustained pastoral approach to marriage preparation during a seminar that brought together more than 320 catechists last month.
Organized by the archdiocese’s Commission for Catechetics, the one-day event, “Love in the Family: Not Always Perfect, But Always Present,” aimed to equip catechists to guide couples not only before their wedding day but throughout their married life.
“The Church invites us to treat engaged couples in the same way we accompany those preparing for baptism,” said Father Yohanes Aristanto MSF, Secretary of the Family Apostolate Commission of the Indonesian Bishops’ Conference (KWI).
He presented the 2022 Vatican document “Catechumenal Itineraries for Married Life,” which outlines a three-stage pastoral journey: pre-marriage preparation, immediate preparation before the wedding, and post-marriage accompaniment.
Fr. Aristanto stressed that this process must involve priests, catechists, mentor couples, base communities, and the wider Church “ensuring newlyweds are not left to face challenges alone.”
Father Yohanes Purbo Tamtomo, Rector of the KAJ Major Seminary and member of the Archdiocesan Tribunal, emphasized the sacramental foundation of marriage.
“The Church is not here to judge, but to heal,” he said, adding, “A sacramental marriage is non-negotiable. That’s the calling of every Catholic who enters marriage.”
Participants described the seminar as inspiring and transformative, expressing renewed enthusiasm to accompany families with deeper empathy.
They acknowledged that shallow preparation often leads to annulments and broken marriages and urged that similar seminars be held more frequently throughout the year.
The event concluded with an emphasis on the importance of faith, proper guidance, and community support in strengthening family life.
