God our Father, we give you thanks for the gift of marriage:

the bond of life and love, and the font of the family.

the love of husband and wife enriches your Church with children,

fills the world with a multitude of spiritual fruitfulness and service,

and is the sign of the love of your Son, Jesus Christ, for his Church.

 

The grace of Jesus flowed forth at Cana at the request of the Blessed Mother.

May your Son, through the intercession of Mary, pour out upon us

a new measure of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit

as we join with all people of good will

to promote and protect the unique beauty of marriage.

 

May your Holy Spirit enlighten our society

to treasure the heroic love of husband and wife,

and guide our leaders to sustain and protect

the singular place of mothers and fathers

in the lives of their children.

 

Father, we ask that our prayers

be joined to those of the Virgin Mary,

that your Word may transform our service

so as to safeguard the incomparable splendor of marriage.

We ask all these things through Christ our Lord, Amen.

 

 

Please visit http://archstl.org/marriage for definition of marriage, clear answers to questions about marriage, articles and a link to Bishop Rice's May 31, 2015 homily from the Mass for the Defense of Marriage and Family.