Marriage
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Missionaries to the Family
"Today we need a Church capable of walking at people's side, of doing more than simply listening to them; a Church that accompanies them on their journey."
-Pope Francis, July 28, 2013
Imagine how different your parish would be if families felt that they had someone truly walking right beside them in their journey of faith, during the good times, during the struggles and all the times in between. Would that make a difference in the life of your parish?
Missionaries to the Family was created to do exactly that - transform our parishes into communities that walk hand-in-hand with families in faith. Recently, Bishop Gainer communicated with his pastors about this initiative. And couples play a critical role:
“...pastoral accompaniment needs to go beyond the actual celebration of the sacrament (Familiaris Consortio, Part III). In this regard, experienced couples have an important role to play. The parish is a place where such experienced couples can help younger couples, with the eventual cooperation of associations, ecclesial movements and new communities.” (Pope Francis, Amoris Laetitia, 223)
One of our key learnings in the first year of Missionaries to the Family is that the Holy Spirit is already calling couples to this missionary work. We simply need to identify them. Do you know any couples from your parish who might be a good fit?
Steve Bollman, Founder and President of Paradisus Dei and Developer of That Man is You!, and I will be in the Diocese of Harrisburg on March 6th for an information meeting scheduled at St. Theresa in New Cumberland at 7:45 P.M. Please consider attending that meeting with some couples from your parish. RSVP to Eherald@sainttheresaparish.org.
Yours in Christ,
Brian D. Topping | Director, Mission Engagement
Paradisus Dei | 563-663-8003 -
January 28-30 Weekend for Couples -Retrouvaille
Not willing to let go of your marriage? Many couples continue to struggle in a marriage but are not willing to give up on each other. Retrouvaille is a program designed to help struggling marriages regain their health. For more information about the January 28-30 weekend for couples, contact the registration team at retrouvaillehbg@gmail.com or 717-356-2185.
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Retrouvaille - No Marriage is Beyond Hope
The Retrouvaille Program is for Married Couples Facing Difficult Challenges in their Relationship
- A Marriage program that helps couples restore their marriage and rebuild a loving relationship.
- A Christian marriage program, Catholic in origin, where couples of all faiths or no faith background are encouraged to attend.
- Primarily a practical program to improve communication, build stronger marriages, and help couples reconnect.
- Presenters are not trained marriage counselors, but rather couples sharing their personal stories of marital struggles and the tools they used to rediscover their love.
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The Mentor Couple Ministry consists of married couples called to share their sacrament with those preparing for marriage by drawing them deeper into the life of the Church through the facilitation of robust communication between the engaged couples-helping them to deepen and grow in their knowledge and love of each other-and through the witness of our shared prayer, life in the Church, and embrace of the Church’s teaching on marriage.
The Mentor Couple Program is conducted by trained married couples who lead discussions on subject matter appropriate to pre-marital preparation. Typically, they meet together 4-6 times prior to the wedding. The Mentor Couple Program is an alternative to the Engaged Encounter weekend.
Mentor Couples Needed
Mentor Couples: The Mentor Couple Ministry prepares engaged couples for a faith-based, joy-filled marriage by fostering the skills needed to enjoy a life-long sacramental union as husband and wife.
Want to do something GREAT for your marriage? Consider becoming a Mentor Couple! While helping to prepare engaged couples for marriage, you might be surprised at how much you will get out of sharing your experiences through this important ministry. Couples interested must be in a sacramental marriage of at least five years. No Experience Necessary! Training will be provided. If you are interested in becoming a Mentor Couple, or if you have questions about the program, please contact John and Betti Leonard at 717-697- 6188.
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Tribunal of the Diocese of Harrisburg
The Tribunal of the Diocese of Harrisburg will be giving several presentations within the diocese concerning marriage, divorce and annulment according to Church teaching. These presentations will be helpful for divorced Catholics, those divorced who wish to marry Catholics, those parish leaders involved in the RCIA process and any others who may have a vested interest because of family or friends.No prior registration is required. For further information, please call 717-657-4804, ext. 304, or email: tribunal@hbgdiocese.org