From Plain Talks on Marriage by Rev. Fulgence Meyer, O.F.M., 1927

A Catholic couple takes a lively and active interest in the parish church and its material and spiritual well-being.
They know that the Catholic Church is represented to them by their parish church; hence whatever pride and goodwill they entertain for the true church are centered first and foremost upon their parish church; for the best way to have the church at large to thrive is to have each individual parish church to prosper.

Their interest in their parish church must consist more in deeds and sacrifices than in words. They will be generous in their contributions to the church.

They realize that the duty of supporting the church is as binding as the duty of Sunday Mass; and they fulfill the one as eagerly and conscientiously as the other.

They never complain of being too heavily taxed for their church; they cheerfully give what their circumstances allow, and regret that they cannot give more.

They are not only ready with large donations here and there, but they rather make their ordinary and regular contributions as high as they can reasonably make them; and they enjoy having them to be so high that they hurt, in the sense that they force them to deny themselves certain unnecessary pleasures or indulgences in their interest.

E Pluribus Unum

Nothing makes so strongly for the material and spiritual welfare and progress of a parish as union and harmony of its members.

Wherever there is a united front and a concerted action towards a given goal, success is bound to follow.

The only way to achieve and hold this desired union and harmony is the recognition of the lawful and God-given authority on the part of the entire parish.

The authority is represented by the pastor actually in charge.

As he is finally responsible for the condition of the parish, all its members should yield to his guidance and government.

If this is done, even though his plans or decisions may not be the wisest in themselves, there will nevertheless be good and substantial results.

For after all, as has been well said, the best of governments is invariably that in which all the subjects heartily concur.

Whilst on the other hand there is no greater menace to the progress and life of a parish than dissensions, feuds and factions among the members, or between the members and the head of the parish.

Active as they are for their home church, a good Catholic couple will not allow their interest to concentrate on it to such a degree as to be completely absorbed by it, so they cannot take cognizance of the Church at large and its diocesan, national and universal needs.

This sentiment would smack distinctly of selfish localism or provincialism, that is antagonistic to Catholicism, which embraces the entire world.

A good Catholic couple will therefore take a lively interest also in the ecclesiastical affairs beyond their parish, and contribute according to their capacity to the diocesan collections, as well as to those for the domestic and foreign mission, and most of all to that for the Holy Father in Rome.

“In order that a young man may keep the virtue of chastity intact in himself and in his prospective life mate, he must firmly believe in the possibility of a chaste life before marriage and be convinced that God demands sexual abstinence outside the married state. God imposes no duty that is beyond our power, and He knows well what man can accomplish aided by His grace. Chastity untarnished will be a source of moral strength and the best guarantee of fidelity in the marital union.” – Fr. Lovasik, Clean Love in Courtship