I’m a broken record about this, but it still amazes me to see how well-suited Katherine Schwarzenegger and Chris Pratt are together. It was like that from their early days of dating – we could just see that they would get married and everything was falling into place perfectly for them. Pratt is definitely the kind of guy who needs to be “the star” of the marriage, with a supportive spouse in the background. Katherine seems completely happy with that dynamic, plus she has her side-businesses which do not threaten Pratt in any way. Plus, they’re both churchy as hell and they have, as Lori Loughlin might say, a faith-based marriage. Katherine gave a recent interview to the Meaning Full Living podcast, and wouldn’t you know, Katherine talked a lot about faith, premarital church counseling and more. Some quotes:

Premarital counseling: “Before we got married in the Catholic Church, you have to do premarital counseling before you get married, and I was like, ‘Oh my God, what is that going to be like?’ And it was the most amazing thing and just the most amazing gift. I know not everybody does [it], of course, because … if they don’t tell you you have to do it then why would you? But for us, when we had this experience of going to premarital counseling to get married in the Catholic Church it was such an amazing gift in our relationship ahead of getting married that we’ve definitely wanted to continue throughout our relationship and has been such a helpful thing to be able to have in our relationship of having that guidance.”

They got the prompts they needed: “Talking about things that maybe we wouldn’t necessarily have talked about before getting married, talk about things that couples of 10 or 15 years still don’t like to talk about with one another. Being prompted to talk about those things is also a really helpful thing to do early on. That I think helps us.”

Carving out time for each other: “Making sure that you can carve out that time. And of course, there are days where it doesn’t happen, and then we make sure we connect in a different way. I also just remember growing up and watching my parents [Arnold Schwarzenegger and ex-wife Maria Shriver] always be each other’s biggest support system and biggest cheerleaders, and that was always something that I wanted with who I envisioned somebody that I marry; always wanting to have that same support system and that same dynamic. I want him to be, to always feel loved and cared for and supported and like I’m his biggest cheerleader. And to feel that from him as well. We always are on that same page of wanting that for one another. And always putting our relationship first and our family first is super important to us.”

They “check in” with each other and talk about their faith and goals. “Also just like going on a walk, that was something that we did every single day when I was pregnant and it was a really great time for him and I to connect while also being able to get outside, which during the pandemic was important. Just taking the time to connect and to check in and always making that time is really important. Even with having the baby, it is still a priority for both of us.”

Faith is a big part of their marriage: Aside from friendship and communication, Schwarzenegger Pratt says faith is a “big part” of her relationship with Pratt and the “foundation of our relationship.” She said she feels “lucky all the time” to count him as her “really great support system.”

[From People]

Back in the day, I used to babysit for this super-churchy family and they never had anything to read in their house except pamphlets about church-mandated premarital and marital counseling for some reason. I was sort of surprised by just how many subjects are covered in premarital counseling – it’s not just one session of “listen to each other, communicate, you good?” There are many counseling sessions and the priest or reverend really does prompt couples to talk about sex, money, child-rearing, family planning and more. I’m not surprised that Katherine found it beneficial, and I bet Pratt did as well. As for the importance of their faith… it’s fine. They’re both super-religious and I hope Pratt starts veering more towards Katherine’s socially liberal Kennedy-style Catholicism.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid, Katherine’s IG.