Guidelines for Facilitators

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Follow-Up Questions:
One of the benefits of FACET tool is the on-going nature of the tool. It presents the engaged couple a vehicle to discuss many areas, and provides them with practical actions that flow out of the discussions. In addition, the couple has open-ended questions that can be addressed following the initial conversations, or later on as homework. This can even flow into their early months of marriage. The FACET tool is also designed to be a great companion with Foundations Newsletter for Newly Married Couples. Through their subscription, the now married couple will be provided with series of topics much like those from FACET that they can continue to address within their married life.

Foundations Newsletter for Newly Married Couples
By utilizing The FACET Tool the engaged couple you are working with is to receive also Foundations Newsletter for Newly Married Couples, six times in the first year of their marriage. They will receive the first newsletter in the first of second month following their wedding. The newsletter is designed especially for newly married couples. It contains short articles, inspirational stories, practical tips and suggestions, short exercises and such things as book and movie reviews related to marriage. Also, there are open-ended questions much like those they have already utilized through the FACET tool. This unique feature of FACET and Foundations Newsletter offers the engaged couple periodic follow-up opportunities that will help them in the early stages of their new marital life.

Summarizing and Concluding with the Engaged Couple:
After you have completed each of the sections, and following the follow-up questions, you can have a time to de-brief with the couple as to what they think was beneficial for them. Have them talk about what they each feel they learned and what was most helpful to them.

After this, you may wish to offer them some practical suggestions. You may have a formal engaged couples group ministry or program they are to attend. You may have Catholic Engaged Encounter weekends for them to participate. You may wish to ask them to create something more informal such as having them select a married couple they admire (an aunt or uncle, older married sibling, or a married couple from the parish) and having them ask that veteran married couple to go out to a simple dinner so they can interview them and find out what this particular couple has learned about married love.

Conclude by offering the engaged couple what the parish community may already offer for marriage support and enrichment.