A CALL TO THE YOUNG: YOU’RE READY – GET MARRIED!

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I spoke to a man who influences marriage policy for upwards of 70 million people. Dominic Lombardi is Executive Director of Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth at the US Conference of Catholic Bishops. He has a deep concern for the future of marriage. In our conversation, we discussed the urgent need to restore a culture of lifelong commitment between men and women, the importance of male and female identity, and how rebuilding marriage is the only route to reviving society itself. You can watch the full conversation here.

Dominic highlights the deep connection between family structure and societal stability. He observes that “the disarray of young people is also connected to the disarray of family”, and stresses that fathers and mothers are “crucial and irreplaceable”. We note that fewer people are getting married, more children are born outside of marriage, and those who do marry tend to do so later, all contributing to a demographic crisis.

In response, the Catholic Church in the US is calling young people to embrace marriage and family as central to a hopeful future. Dominic refers to Pope Francis’s recent call to young people: “Make the commitment to get married and to have children because children are the most concrete manifestation of hope.” He acknowledges that waiting too long to marry and start a family can make it harder: “You probably are ready, frankly. The longer you wait, the harder it is”, he says.

Dominic also underlines the vital role of community in sustaining marriages and family life. “Families need one another”, he says, emphasising the importance of support networks in raising children and maintaining strong relationships. He sees marriage not as a risk but “the adventure of marriage”, a journey of faith and commitment.

We know that marriage is the core of our culture. When marriage is weak, society suffers. To revive our society, we must revive marriage. We must encourage young people around us to step forward and embrace this great commitment. Dominic’s remarks affirm the wider evidence: marriage is the best foundation for raising children, building stable societies, and ensuring long-term personal fulfilment. Yet, in the US as in the UK, marriage is in decline.

C4M’s mission to reaffirm its value is perhaps the most pressing cause of our age.