BOONTON — Under the leadership of a Boonton resident, the Archdiocese of Newark’s Office for Family Life Ministry recently concluded an eventful year marked by major updates designed to strengthen and expand its mission of helping families place Christ at the center of their lives.
Since assuming the role of director in February 2025, Joanne DePasquale-Parent has overhauled the office’s branding, hired new staff and broadened outreach efforts. These improvements aim to help the ministry more effectively accompany North Jersey Catholics through marriage preparation and enrichment, healing from loss and other family-focused services. The office also hopes its renewed approach will encourage more families to seek the support it provides.
“Families at every stage of life experience challenges, but when Jesus is your foundation, you can overcome all obstacles,” DePasquale-Parent said. “We want people to know our office is here to help them build a relationship with Christ. And we’re already hearing positive feedback. Couples are excited to have us journey with them in faith, which is gratifying.”
Recent and upcoming enhancements to the Office for Family Life Ministry include:
• New emblem and vision statement: The ministry introduced a new emblem and vision statement. The emblem depicts a family gathered around a heart with a cross at its center, with a second cross-centered heart rising from the family’s chimney. This design reflects the ministry’s mission to nurture a love for Jesus within families and encourage them to share that faith with others. The vision statement, “Hearts and Homes Centered on Jesus,” expresses the prayer for all families to be infused with God’s grace and all homes to be prayer-fueled communities of faith, hope and love.
• Seasonal newsletter: A new seasonal newsletter, Happy, Healthy, & Holy Families, is now available in English and Spanish. It provides families with activity ideas, prayer guides and other faith resources drawn from respected Catholic organizations, including the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
• Increased engagement: For the first time, the office has compiled a centralized email database to keep families informed about events, new programs and additional opportunities to connect.
• First Five Summit: Research shows that couples face the most significant challenges during the first five years of marriage. To support young spouses, the ministry will host its inaugural First Five Summit on June 13, 2026. The event will offer guidance on communication, financial management, fertility issues and other topics.
• Mass for Engaged Couples: In addition to longstanding Masses honoring couples celebrating milestone wedding anniversaries, the ministry will host its first-ever Mass for Engaged Couples on Aug. 23. Led by Bishop Pedro Bismarck Chau, the liturgy will include a blessing of engagement rings and the Rite of Betrothal, an ancient ceremony for those preparing for marriage.
The Office for Family Life Ministry has also strengthened its staff through two strategic hires: Deacon Oswaldo Sanchez as associate director of Hispanic family life ministry and Lauren Tamara as coordinator for ministry of loss and healing. Deacon Sanchez oversees all areas of marriage preparation and family life ministry to the Hispanic community, while Tamara facilitates trainings for parish leaders in bereavement and mental health ministries in addition to coordinating the annual archdiocesan Mass for parents who have lost a child. Both bring years of experience in their fields and a strong understanding of the local Church, having previously served in other roles within the Archdiocese. They join Jennifer Ferraioli, the ministry’s associate director of marriage preparation.
“The faith of families is the foundation of our Church,” said Father Timothy Graff, secretary of the Secretariat for Parish Mission and Vitality, which oversees the Office for Family Life Ministry. “The Office for Family Life Ministry plays a vital role in helping families grow closer to Christ in their daily lives and in the most important place—their homes. I’m grateful for the renewed energy, creativity and pastoral care this team brings to our Archdiocese as they accompany families in every stage of life.”
In 2025, the Office for Family Life Ministry served 2,027 couples through its English- and Spanish-language marriage preparation programs and 95 couples through its English- and Spanish-language marriage retreats. The ministry also trained 62 individuals to lead bereavement ministries and 58 individuals to lead mental health ministries in parishes across the Archdiocese.
Looking ahead, the ministry aims to reach even more families through its new initiatives and ongoing services. It also hopes to expand its support in additional ways, such as encouraging faith-based relationships between grandparents and grandchildren.
To learn more about the Office for Family Life Ministry, click here.
