Aims & Membership

Extracts from the Constitution

The Catholic Society of Marriage Education Incorporated was established from diocesan representatives involved in marriage education. Since 1973 representatives met annually and in July 1980 the Society was first constituted and renamed.

Objects
The object of the Society is to promote and support marriage and family life in accordance with the beliefs and teachings of the Catholic Church by encouraging marriage and relationship education for couples considering marriage and for married couples, throughout Australia. In accordance with this object, the Society will:

  • Develop an awareness of the vocation of marriage and of the need for remote, proximate and immediate preparation and ongoing enrichment for this vocation in the community; 
  • Provide a forum for those involved in marriage education so that they may share and help each other in their work; 
  • Promote and disseminate educational techniques and material suitable for marriage education courses;
  • Act as an advisory body to the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference through the Bishops Committee for Social Welfare and the Bishops Committee for Family and for Life in matters relating to marriage and relationship education; 
  • Liaise with Catholic Welfare Australia on matters relating to marriage and marriage education; 
  • Represent marriage and relationship education to governments through Catholic Welfare Australia; 
  • Be a national resource body for Catholic agencies and individuals engaged in marriage and relationship education; 
  • Liaise with other Catholic agencies and organisations in the community; and 
  • Promote national and state conferences for its members

Membership
There are two membership categories:

Ordinary membership is open to each marriage and relationship education organisation within the Catholic Church which subscribes to the objects of the Society, returns an application form to the Executive Committee, and pays the prescribed membership fee. There are four levels of ordinary membership:

  • Large Agency is an agency or body that provides marriage education to over 300 couples per year 
  • Medium Agency provides marriage education to 100 to 300 couples per year 
  • Small Agency provides marriage education to less than 100 couples per year 
  • Parish membership is open to each parish within the Catholic Church which provides pre-marriage, marriage and relationship education.

Associate membership is open to all persons who subscribe to the objects of the Society, returns an application form to the Executive Committee, and pay the prescribed membership fee. Associate members are not eligible to vote on all business conducted at meetings, for elections of the Executive Committee or to stand for election of the Executive Committee

Membership Application

  • The Executive Committee shall prescribe an application form to be used by eligible applicants to apply to become a member of the Society 
  • Upon receipt by the Society of a signed application in the prescribed form from an eligible applicant, such application shall be considered by the Executive Committee which shall determine the admission or rejection of the application. 
  • Each ordinary member of the Society shall authorise a natural person to act as its delegate and the person so authorised shall be entitled to exercise all the powers on behalf of that member which s/he represents. 
  • Each ordinary member shall inform the Executive Committee in writing of the name of its delegate.

Enquiries regarding membership should be directed to the Secretary:

Mr Derek Boylen
Catholic Marriage Education Services 
GPO Box P1217 
Perth  WA  6844
Phone 08 9325 1859
Fax 08 9221 5421
Email: derek.cmes@perthcatholic.org.au

Download Application Form