In June, the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life released (in Italian and Spanish) “Catechumenal Itineraries for Married Life: Pastoral Guidelines for Local Churches.” The Dicastery has now released an English translation.

“The new document lays out three main stages for the new marriage catechumenate: proximate preparation (about a year, including a rite of betrothal), final preparation (a few months, including a retreat), and accompaniment (the last phase stretches into the first years of marriage),” Our Sunday Visitor reported. “The catechumenate is to be preceded by ‘remote preparation’ (age appropriate formation in youth programs, etc.) and an ‘intermediate phase’ lasting a few weeks during which a ritual entry into the catechumenate proper occurs.”