The USCCB is about to unveil something exciting: an interactive web site and public service ads that are designed to help make marriages stronger.

One of the guiding forces behind this is Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver, who chairs the Bishops’ Committe on Marriage and Family. (Department of Full Disclosure: I was one of several media people who was invited to put in my two cents’ worth when this little project was still in the blue-sky idea phase, and I couldn’t be happier with the results. The website looks user-friendly, engaging, and eminently accessible. I think it will be a boon to a lot of couples.)

As the press release puts it, it is all designed

to highlight the value of marriage and to provide supports for engaged and married couples.

The radio and TV campaign asks: “What did you do for your marriage today?” with spots shot in Washington, New York, Los Angeles, Austin, Texas and Providence, Rhode Island.

It is part of a multi-year Marriage Initiative of the Catholic Church. The PSAs stand as a creative response to concerns for marriage in U.S. society.

My hat goes off to the USCCB, and my prayers go with ’em, too, as they embark on this importnat new venture.

UPDATE: Articles have begun to pop up about this new initiative, includuing this one from the Houston Chronicle, which focuses on the PSAs:

The spots show ordinary people in parks and other public places answering the question “What have you done for your marriage today?” The answers — waking up early with the baby, organizing a date night — are meant to promote small acts of kindness as medicine for making marriages last a lifetime.

Missing from the spots is any overt religious message, although they are identified as Catholic and end with an invitation to visit http://www.foryourmarriage.org. The Web site promises resources for Catholic and non-Catholic couples on everything from conflict resolution to finances.

Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput, a member of the bishops’ committee on marriage and family life, said the spots deliberately avoid religion to reach a wide audience.

“Both marriage and family are necessary for the common good of society,” he said. “When either institution weakens, all of us suffer the consequences. When both marriage and family grow stronger, all of us benefit.”

The $600,000 marketing campaign was introduced in Denver to coincide with the National Association of Catholic Family Life Ministers conference underway here. The media spots are not paid advertisements, but public service announcements available to TV, radio and cable outlets.

Let’s pray for the success of this initiative. I think we can all agree: marriage needs all the help it can get.