The California Catholic Conference (CCC) has entered into a first-of-its-kind agreement with Communio, beginning a new chapter in strengthening Catholic marriage and family life throughout the state. Through this comprehensive partnership with all 12 bishops and dioceses, every parish in California will now have access to Communio’s relationship ministry model, which is credited with a 24% drop in the divorce rate in Jacksonville, FL.
The CCC has worked intensely over the past year to focus California Catholics on the importance of marriage and family through their Radiate Love initiative, which will culminate with the Sept. 26th Love IRL (In Real Life) Marriage Summit in Oakland. This gathering of youth and young adult ministry leaders will also officially launch the partnership with Communio, whose mission is to equip parishes to evangelize through the renewal of healthy relationships, marriages, and families.
“In John 10:10, the Lord said that he came so that we would have life and have it more abundantly. We know that strong marriages and healthy families help us to have this abundant life, so we are excited to partner with Communio,” said Bishop Timothy Freyer, an executive officer for the CCC and auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Orange. “They have time-tested methods and processes to build healthy marriages and families.”
Communio’s proven, parish-based ministry model strengthens marriages as a sacrament, revitalizes family life, and boosts active participation in Sunday Mass—while welcoming new members and deepening discipleship opportunities.
Communio churches nationwide are averaging a 22% growth in Sunday attendance by year two. As couples engage with deeper content, 70% of those who self-report being at the highest risk for divorce report being very satisfied or better with their marriage after completion.
“I’ve been watching the progression of Communio over the years and hearing really great things from our marriage and family life directors, who have always told us that Communio is the gold standard,” Kathleen Domingo, Executive Director of the CCC, said. “If they could have any tool in their toolbox to help parishioners and parish families, it would be Communio.”
“We are thrilled to partner with the bishops of California and share their vision of strong, vibrant marriages as the key to strong, vibrant parish life,” said Damon Owens, Communio’s Director of Church Growth, leading the statewide effort. “In our Nationwide Study on Faith and Relationships, one-in-five couples in the pew each Sunday report struggling in their marriage. When Communio parish partners prioritize and invest in helping couples get and stay married with our model, they become “relational hubs” experiencing growth in every area of parish life, including attracting new parishioners. We look forward to continuing this success in every parish in California.”
Research shows that marriage and family stability in California have significantly worsened over the last several years. In the PPIC’s 2025 Family Structure Index from the Institute of Family Studies, it was found that only 54.8% of prime-aged adults in California were married, and that just 57.6% of teenagers were raised in intact homes. The Public Policy Institute of California also reports the state’s population has seen historically low growth between 2010 and 2020, below national trends.
California needs targeted solutions to the family and population crisis now more than ever, and the CCC is eager to have Communio work with parishes in each of the dioceses to restore and enhance marriages and family life across the state.
For interviews, additional information on this groundbreaking partnership, and next steps on how to bring Communio to your parish, please contact Communio’s Director of Church Growth, Damon Owens, at dowens@communio.org.