USCCB launches Spanish-language marriage support website

Washington D.C., Feb 18, 2010 / 00:27 am

A Spanish-language version of a marriage support website has been launched by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). The site aims to help couples discover the “great richness” of Christian marriage and to strengthen spousal love within the community of faith.

The site, PorTuMatrimonio.org, is a version of the English-language marriage site ForYourMarriage.org, but not a direct translation.

Alejandro Aguilera-Titus, director for Hispanic Affairs of the Secretariat of Cultural Diversity in the Church and coordinator of the project, explained that the site responds to the bishops’ current priorities on marriage and cultural diversity with special emphasis on Hispanics.

“PorTuMatrimonio.org is a space to inspire, help and urge Spanish-speaking couples to live more fully their marriage relationship,” Aguilera-Titus commented. “The idea is to help them be happy couples, committed to their vocation.”

The site provides advice, testimonials and other resources to help couples. It provides information about common challenges for couples and how to overcome them in healthy and respectful ways.

It also presents reflection questions for couples preparing for marriage. The site addresses questions such as whether a couple is ready to make the important decision to marry, whether a spouse is the “ideal person” for oneself, and how a couple can nourish their married life in mind, body and spirit.

Theologian Dora Tobar, a well-known Latina speaker and member of the national support team for PorTuMatrimonio.org, said that the effort creates a space where Hispanics can “find light, answers and good advice to create and sustain stable and happy marriages.”

Tobar said the site gives all Spanish-speaking people access to “right and concrete information” and answers to their questions about married life.

The national support team for the website includes many experts in marriage and family life ministries with Latinos. The effort was funded by the Catholic Communication Campaign.

“Strong, healthy families are the result of strong and healthy marriages,” Aguilera-Titus said. “We invite married couples as well as those preparing to receive the Sacrament of Marriage to discover with us all they can do for their marriage.”

The website’s address is http://www.PorTuMatrimonio.org