KCCB LAUNCHES NEW GUIDELINES ON MARRIAGE PREPARATION AND ACCOMPANIMENT FOR THE PASTORAL CARE OF CHRISTIANS
KCCB LAUNCHES NEW GUIDELINES ON MARRIAGE PREPARATION AND ACCOMPANIMENT FOR THE PAST
The Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) Family Life National Office has officially launched new Guidelines on Marriage Preparation and Accompaniment, aimed at strengthening pastoral care for couples and families across the country.
The guidelines, endorsed by the Plenary Assembly of Bishops in April 2025, were unveiled on September 3, 2025, during the National Family Life Annual Consultative Meeting held at Our Lady Mother of Africa Parish, Tudor, in the Archdiocese of Mombasa.
Speaking at the launch, Rt. Rev. Joseph Mwongela, Bishop Chairman of the Commission for Pastoral and Lay Apostolate, and Rt. Rev. Wallace Ng’ang’a, Bishop Chairman of Family Life Coordinators, emphasized the significance of the milestone for the Church in Kenya.
“The guidelines are not just structures, but a pastoral blueprint for lifelong, faithful, and fruitful marriages,” Bishop Mwongela said. He explained that the framework outlines five crucial stages: Remote Preparation, Proximate Preparation, Immediate Preparation, the Celebration of Marriage, and Post-Marriage Accompaniment, which involves ongoing discernment and integration.
The launch brought together more than 30 participants, including priests, religious sisters, and lay Family Life Coordinators drawn from dioceses across Kenya. The gathering highlighted the Church’s commitment to equipping pastoral agents with tools to better accompany couples at every stage of married life. It was noted that the guidelines seek to respond to the modern challenges facing families, ensuring that Catholic marriages remain firmly rooted in faith, mutual commitment, and Christian values.
“This is a moment of grace for the Church in Kenya,” Bishop Wallace added. “With these guidelines, we are laying a solid foundation that will nurture strong families and safeguard the sacrament of marriage.”
As part of the launch, the bishops urged the Family Life Coordinators across the country to:
- Mobilize diocesan and parish networks to bring the guidelines to life through lived accompaniment at each stage of marriage.
- Train and equip experienced married couples to serve as companions in formation and beyond.
- Work closely with bishops and pastoral teams to ensure marriage preparation is cohesive, collaborative, and supported at all levels of the Church.
- Ground all efforts in prayer, the Sacraments, and the teachings of the Church, drawing strength from Christ and His bride, the Church.
The Family Life National Office will oversee the dissemination and implementation of the guidelines across dioceses, with plans to integrate them into parish family life programs and marriage preparation courses.
The launch event concluded with a call to all pastoral agents to embrace the guidelines as a resource for building resilient Catholic families, which the bishops affirmed are the “domestic Church” and the heart of Christian community.
