Foccus

FOCCUS is an instrument designed to help couples learn more about themselves and their unique relationship. It is a tool to aid pastors, sponsor couples, or others ministering to couples to help them name and work through issues before marriage.

The purpose of FOCCUS is to facilitate open and honest communication between the couple. They may need to be assured that FOCCUS is not a pass-fail test but a means to identify issues to be discussed before marriage. Since some couples may be concerned about who will have access to the results, the facilitator should discuss the confidentiality of the process. The facilitator should also point out the time-limited nature of the process. The questionnaire provides a profile of the couple at the time they responded to the FOCCUS statements. Thought and discussion following that time usually modifies their attitudes and level of awareness. The questionnaire then is not a permanent measure of the couple’s relationship. For that reason, and to preserve the integrity of the instrument, the FOCCUS questionnaire is to be destroyed at the end of the process and not sent home with the couple nor placed in the permanent file.

Training requirements for the utilization of the FOCCUS inventory have recently been updated.  In order to fully understand this new process, please consult the documents entitled New FOCCUS Facilitator Online Modular Training and the FOCCUS Update Q&A found in the LINKS section below.

FOCCUS Sponsor Couple Training  2023
Sat., September 9, 2023- 8:00am - 4:30pm - St. Paul Classroom - English
Sat., November 11, 2023 - 8:00am - 4:30pm - St. Paul Classroom - Spanish

FOCCUS Sponsor Couple Training  2024
Sat., January 6, 2024 - 8:00am - 4:30pm - St. Paul Classroom - English
Sat., May 4, 2024 - 8:00am - 4:30pm - St. Paul Classroom - Spanish
Sat., September 7, 2024 - 8:00am - 4:30pm - St. Paul Classroom -English
Sat., November 2, 2024 - 8:00am - 4:30pm - St. Paul Classroom - Spanish