Bishops approve plan to emphasize marriage and family

Published: 2004-11-17

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- A sense of urgency about emphasizing the church's teaching on marriage and family seemed to outweigh U.S. bishops' concerns for their new priority-setting procedures Nov. 17 as they voted 195-20 to approve a new pastoral initiative on marriage. The marriage initiative will begin with a survey of bishops about the issues they want addressed, followed by a symposium of theologians and social scientists, focus groups of lay people and sessions with pastoral leaders and bishops' conference committees. A potential national research project through the Center for Marriage and Family at Creighton University also would be incorporated into the planning. After that process, expected to take place in 2005-06, a pastoral letter will be written and approved, probably in 2007. Steps to implement the pastoral letter are expected to begin in 2007.

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