In 1980, the publication of For Better and For Ever (Liguori Publications) by Rev. Robert Ruhnke made this program available to Catholic churches of the English speaking world. The Spanish edition was published in 1982. These editions went through major updates/revisions in 1989 and in 1998. There are also Protestant and secular editions.

Today, For Better and For Ever continues to get better. The easy to use workbook, the training resources and other links on the web site make it the most comprehensive and yet easy to use of all the commonly used marriage preparation programs.

What does the term “Sponsor Couple” mean?
The term "Sponsor Couple" has been used since about 1974 within Roman Catholic churches/dioceses to refer to married couples trained to "journey with" engaged couples as they prepare for lifelong commitment of marriage. In marriage preparation “Sponsor Couples” provide for the engaged a working example of a married couple living out the sacrament of marriage.

Engaged couples prepare for the meetings with their Pastor and later with their Sponsor/Mentor Couple by studying specific chapters of For Better and For Ever, answering the questions, and sharing their answers with their partner. Each meeting is about 1 - 2 hours in duration, and is for further conversation and dialogue about the chapters studied.

The Sponsor/Mentor Couple is trained to adapt the program to the needs and interests of each individual couple. The conversations between the engaged couple and the sponsor couple are kept private. Topics cover a wide range of issues including: understanding our family as our foundation, family of origin, Catholic teaching on the meaning of marital sexuality and intimacy, cohabitation, financial and career planning, communication, problem solving and tools for healthy dialogue, spirituality between a couple, mixed religion marriages, prayer, natural family planning, formation of conscience, remarriage and step-families, parenting and being actively involved in your church community.

KEY BENEFITS:

• The couple-to-couple approach can adapt to the needs/culture of individual couples.
• Non-Threatening, comfortable atmosphere.
• Often highlights issues which the engaged couple have not yet discussed and/or provides a safe forum for deeper discussion of key issues.
• Marriage enrichment for the Sponsor Couple. (Sponsor Couples often say "We benefit even more than the engaged couples do!")
• Great way to do ministry as a married couple without needing to leave home.
• Children of the Sponsor Couple get to see their parents "serving the needs of others."

For more information please visit: http://www.marriagepreparation.com