Celebrating 40 Years of FOCCUS® Marriage Ministries
Forty Years of Strengthening Foundations
For forty years, FOCCUS® Marriage Ministries has helped couples build stronger marriages through guided conversation, practical formation, and faithful accompaniment. Founded in 1985 as an apostolate of the Archdiocese of Omaha, FOCCUS remains grounded in the Catholic understanding of marriage while also serving multiple Christian denominations and organizations around the world through non-denominational formats.
Why FOCCUS® Began
FOCCUS® was born during a time when the Church was calling for deeper, more intentional marriage preparation. As family life changed and the pressures on marriage increased, Catholic leaders emphasized the need for preparation that was both spiritual and practical—formation that helped couples communicate honestly about the real commitments and responsibilities of married life.
How FOCCUS® Started
In 1985, three marriage and family therapists developed the first FOCCUS® Pre-Marriage Inventory. Their purpose was simple and pastoral: to create an affordable, user-friendly tool that would help engaged couples discuss the most important issues they would face in marriage—communication, finances, faith, intimacy, expectations, and family life.
From the beginning, FOCCUS® emphasized facilitation rather than counseling, helping couples engage in guided conversation that supports understanding, unity, and lifelong commitment.
Growth Through the Years
As FOCCUS expanded, feedback from facilitators and couples helped shape ongoing development. In 1988, REFOCCUS® was introduced as a marriage enrichment inventory designed to support couples throughout married life, recognizing that growth and change are ongoing realities in every marriage.
Over the decades, FOCCUS® has continued to develop inventories and resources that meet couples in a wide range of circumstances, including remarriage, convalidation, later-life marriage, and formation for deacon couples.
FOCCUS® Today
Today, FOCCUS® Marriage Ministries serves couples and facilitators around the world. FOCCUS® resources are available in 21 languages and have served more than four million couples through marriage preparation and enrichment. While formats and technology have evolved, the heart of FOCCUS® remains unchanged: helping couples build marriages that are holy, happy, and healthy through open communication and guided reflection.
Recent Milestones (2024–2025)
In recent years, FOCCUS® has continued to develop resources that align closely with the Church’s renewed emphasis on marriage catechesis and ongoing formation.
In 2024, FOCCUS® incorporated the Vatican document Catechumenal Pathways for Married Life into its formation approach and resources. FOCCUS® also participated in a USCCB gathering where Archbishop George J. Lucas introduced additional inventories designed to support couples in specific life circumstances: Convalidation, Mid-Life & Beyond, and Deacon Formation.
In 2025, FOCCUS® presented the Value of Marriage Inventory at the National Association of Diaconate Directors (NADD) conference. FOCCUS® named St. Bridget of Sweden as its patron saint, with Archbishop Michael McGovern blessing the St. Bridget icon in a formal ceremony. FOCCUS® also appeared on Conversations with Cardinal Dolan (SiriusXM radio and television), one of the most widely recognized Catholic media platforms in the United States. FOCCUS® was further featured in national Catholic media, including a four-page article with photos in the October issue of Our Sunday Visitor and a December online feature with the Catholic News Agency.
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