The following are results of comprehensive research studies documenting the fact that not only if but how often
husbands and wives pray together as a couple significantly strengthens those relational factors
most clearly known to help establish and maintain stronger and more satisfying marriage relationships.


Compare  A:  Those who pray together “SOMETIMES” with  B:  Those who pray together “A LOT”

                                                                A.                       B.                    
                                                                       “SOMETIMES”      “A LOT”      % INCREASE

        “Our marriage is happy.”                        60%            78%        18%

        “My spouse is my best friend.”                      74%                    91%                 17%

        “We both try to make our marriage better.”                           65%                   86%                 21%     

        “My spouse makes me feel important.”                                 59%                   77%                 18%

        “My spouse delights in me.”                                                   39%                   69%                 30%

        “We have very good agreement on finances.”                      58%                   69%                 11%

        “Our agreement on basic values is very good.”                    72%                   83%                 11%

        “We are greatly satisfied with our family life.”                        38%                   54%                 16%

        “We agree on how children should be raised.”              64%                   75%                 11%

        “My spouse is romantic.”                                                         41%                   63%                 22%
 
        “My spouse is a skillful lover.”                                                 48%                   65%                 17%

        “We feel spiritual after lovemaking.”                     49%                   68%                 19%

        “We can both peacefully disagree.”                                        66%                   75%                  09%
 
        “We are very confident in our marriage.”                               76%                   92%                  16%


From the book COUPLES WHO PRAY: “Virtually every one of the categories measuring marital bliss escalated significantly when couples simply prayed together a lot versus prayed together sometimes.  In some cases the swing was 15 to 30%.” 1

A national research study (1980) cited in Retrouvaille’s International Handbook established that married couples who attend church together weekly and read the bible or pray together daily have a divorce rate of approximately 1 divorce in every 1,105 marriages. 2

In his book FAITHFUL ATTRACTION, noted researcher Fr. Andrew Greeley reports that of all the factors known to contribute significantly to marital happiness, praying together as a couple is “the most powerful correlate of marital happiness that we have yet discoved.” 3

1. Rushnell and DuArt, COUPLES WHO PRAY (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2007), 11-13
2. Retrouvaille International Handbook, 2005
3. Andrew Greeley, FAITHFUL ATTRACTION (New York: TOR 1991), 292

A quick look at how solidly research confirms it:

Regular “couple prayer” does, in fact, develop marriages
that are happier, stronger, more gratifying and more loving.