From the Marines to Marriage Prep

By Mary Frances McCarthy
Herald Staff Writer
(From the issue of 2/13/03)

Having personally experienced marriage preparation less than a year ago, John L. O’Brien now can help other couples as the new program director of marriage preparation and enrichment for the diocesan Office for Family Life.

Although O’Brien’s resume includes experience in the Marine Corps and his pursuit of a degree in political science, after one of his "most extensive interview processes," Bob Laird, director of the Office for Family Life, thought O’Brien was a perfect fit for the job.

"There were many very fine candidates, but John brought to the equation his leadership experience as a Marine Corps squad leader," said Laird. "This position is unique within the Chancery because it relies on the talents of nearly 50 married couples from around the diocese to lead our Conferences for the Engaged and natural family planning classes. John's outgoing personality and his leadership skills should help me in expanding the number of couples who can help us in these endeavors."

O’Brien was born in Frankfurt, Germany, the first of nine children. His father was a U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel, so the family traveled extensively. O’Brien was home schooled until high school when he attended St. Gregory’s Academy in Pennsylvania, a Catholic boarding school for boys run by the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter.

O’Brien, a Marine reservist, began his college studies at Christendom College in January 1999 after attending Marine Corps boot camp. Following the tragedies of Sept. 11, O’Brien’s studies were interrupted when he was called to active duty in 2002 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He is scheduled to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in political science this May.

Although working for the Office for Family Life will be different from O’Brien’s experience in the Marines, it interested him because it requires a lot of the same skills, coordinating people and events and getting things done in a timely manner.

O’Brien’s position will consist of, in his words, "getting people with the knowledge to places where people need the knowledge."

His main responsibility will be coordinating Conferences for the Engaged and making sure that there are enough married couples presenting the programs.

Another of O’Brien’s responsibilities will be planning special Masses for wedding jubilees, expectant mothers and other family celebrations.

O’Brien hopes that he can make a difference in his job because, "marriage is such an important part of society. We need to do what we can to strengthen and support it."

O’Brien was married in September of last year, and went through the marriage preparation process in another diocese. He said that the program he and his wife, Maria, experienced was "substandard" and he hopes that he can help couples in the Arlington Diocese through marriage preparation weekends.

O’Brien is taking the place of Vaughn Treco, who left the position to be a youth minister at Our Lady of Angels Parish in Woodbridge. While he held the position, Treco initiated the Conference for the Engaged for Second Unions.

According to Laird, "The work in this position goes on behind the scenes with little publicity. Vaughn, and now John, support the vast marriage preparation ministry in the diocese." 

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