Abstract
In-depth guided interviews were conducted with 10 Roman Catholic (RC) couples to reveal the impact religious spirituality had on their long-term marriages. Achieving this goal meant examining Catholic Church’s teachings on marriage, divorce and annulment, and relationship development and maintenance. The interview sessions were video-audio taped and analyzed. Some sample questions asked of the couples were: “How, if at all, did spirituality play a role in choosing your spouse?” “How do you practice spirituality in your marriage?” and “What advice would you give younger couples who have recently gotten married?” Analysis resulted in 8 themes being identified as important to enduring marriage: (1) Little things mean a lot, (2) Prayer is essential to long-term marriage, (3) Catholic parents’ role is to pass on their Catholic faith to their children, (4) Commitment to God and to one another is essential to a lasting marriage, (5) There is no guarantee that a Catholic marriage will endure, (6) Marriage is more than covenantal and contractual, it is human and personal, (7) Marital commitment requires continuous reinforcement, and (8) Commitment in marriage requires effective communication. Couples’ narratives revealed that despite personal difficulties throughout their marriage, they were able to remain intact for 25 or more years, serving as inspiration for those who are struggling in marriage. The discussion section focuses on required curriculum for clergy and educators who counsel married couples and implications for future research such as, gathering data from couples in different dioceses and regional areas of the US for generalizability purposes.
How could this topic be generalized to other health professions?
The study of Catholic couples who sustained lifelong marriages through spirituality can be generalized to other health professions like counselling, psychology, religious studies and social work by highlighting the importance of holistic care and long-term commitment. Just as these couples relied on faith as a guiding principle, health professionals can recognize the role of spirituality and personal beliefs in fostering resilience, meaning, and trust in the healing process. Furthermore, the couples’ emphasis on enduring relationships parallels how providers can approach patient care as a long-term partnership, prioritizing continuity, prevention, and mutual responsibility to promote lasting health outcomes.
Which allied health professions were a part of the study or investigated?
Health Studies; Marriage and Family Therapy; Counseling
Recommended Citation
Scaria, S. E., Thameling, C. L., Sutton, J. P., & Hale, D. (2026). Interviews with Roman Catholic Couples in First-time Long-term Marriages: Navigating the Landscape of Life-long Marriages with Spirituality as the Guiding Principle to Achieving Enduring Marital Relationships. Journal of Interprofessional Practice and Collaboration, 6(1). Retrieved from https://repository.ulm.edu/ojihp/vol6/iss1/1
