Bishop John Hine, Chair of the Bishops' Committee for Marriage and Family Life, will launch a Catholic Marriage Preparation Survey during Marriage Week UK which is on 8-14 February. All those involved in preparing couples for marriage are invited to take part in the survey, including priests, deacons, marriage preparation providers, and the couples themselves. The short surveys can be filled in online by visiting the Catholic Church in England & Wales website where there is also more information.

Survey questions include: Why did you take part in the marriage preparation course? Was it easy to find information in advance? How has the course affected your understanding of yourself, your partner and your relationship?

The survey aims to look at:

• how many people are involved in marriage preparation, their background and experience, and what they offer to couples preparing for the Sacrament of Matrimony
• how many couples the Catholic community are preparing for this lifetime's commitment
• how couples experience this ministry of the Catholic community.

In a recent visit to the Pontifical Council for the Family, Bishop Hine received backing for the survey: He commented: "The sacrament of matrimony is a blessing that lasts for a lifetime, not just the day of the ceremony. Preparation for such a great commitment, then, is an essential step in the journey towards marriage. I discussed the Committee's plans to better understand how couples are currently prepared for marriage during my visit to the Pontifical Council for the Family last week. They welcomed the survey which will undoubtedly give us a much better indication of how we can further develop this vital family ministry in future."

Elizabeth Davies, Marriage and Family Life Project Officer, said: "I'm delighted that the Committee have launched this enquiry into marriage preparation. The survey will yield a great deal of useful information that will help us better understand the ways in which this critical form of sacramental preparation is delivered. I'm especially keen to encourage participation from priests and from marriage preparation providers who are not affiliated to any national or diocesan programme."