Marriage Enrichment

Upcoming Marriage Enrichment Seminar

Married and loving it ........most of the time

Look up for more upcoming seminars........

Here we discuss two ministries which are intrinsically related and intertwined with each other:

Marriage Preparation and

Marriage Enrichment

Marriage Preparation Sessions for Engaged Couples are offered as a part of the whole preparation for this journey of love in Marriage. It is a ministry of service and validation of that harmony that our hearts, minds and souls seek. It acknowledges that the Engaged couples have come significantly along and are ready to make that commitment to each other and to God. This time of dating, and incrementally getting to know each other and to discern well God's plan for each other is considered as a sacred trust. This ministry is offered both in English and Spanish languages: Pastoral Familiar.

The Catholic Church appreciates the desire of the people of God to seek God’s blessings and enter into a sacred covenant with God while they are on the threshold of administering this Sacrament of Matrimony to each other. The Engaged couples are reminded that God offers to walk with them and accompany them all the days of their married lives, and that it is appropriate to recognize His Divine Presence every step of the way in their lives. They are called to witness that pure chaste love of the husband and wife to the world. They are urged to model their married life after that of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph in Nazareth.

A Couple as ministers of this Holy Sacrament becomes aware of the Gift of each other and the gift of Love that God has endowed to them. The bride and the groom bind themselves in sacred trust, each to the other. This ever continuous calling from God has the power to make them Holy in that relationship of love. They are always reminded that God is faithful and calls us to receive that gift of Fidelity and self sacrificing love for each other.

The Engaged couples are encouraged to go through the Rite of the Celebration of the Sacrament of Matrimony booklet and visualize their 'wedding day'. They reflect on a couple of Scripture Passages from among the suggested list of Readings for the ceremony and listen to God speaking to them. They choose those readings most appealing to them and their spirituality for their actual wedding ceremony.

Marriage Preparation couples in a Parish, embrace this ministry to share their gift of appreciation for what God has done with them and for them. They recount how through the years, their dreams, plans, hopes, have been enhanced beyond human imagining and measure. In these sessions: they share their

Faith enriched both intimate and loving moments of their lives: Their belief in God.
Hope filled challenges, trials and tribulations of married life: Their Trust in His promises.
Love claiming insights into their relationships: Their response in generosity.
Joy, born from this transformed love that conquers them, lifts them up and sustains them in God’s unconditional providential care. They become living signs of God’s love to the world.

The sacramental grace of Matrimony seeks an ongoing commitment to each other. This continuous nourishment comes from “unconditional giving” of the spouses to each other. It presupposes as a couple, making time for communication with each other, and in prayer with God; supporting and validating one another; Ennobling one another; Mutual responsibility and respect;

Father, bless us with tenderness

Let our hearts unfold in the shelter of your Love

Bless us with Charity and generosity so that the afflicted and the needy find in us courage

We place our marriage in your hands

May your Peace always stay in our home

May we bear witness to your love in this world

Marriage Enrichment:

Marriage is a Covenant and a Sacrament sealed and ratified by the Redemptive Sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross for the Church, his Bride. He is the Spouse and the Church is his bride. It is His Fidelity that is set before us as an efficacious model to follow, to exemplify, to emulate, and appropriate in our lives.

Fidelity is not easy, But it is worth it: in spite of all the challenges we face in life. Infidelity is devastating and 'death dealing'. It is a terrible tragedy of selfishness, and warped attitude of brokenness. We are called upon to be as generous as we can and strive to do better... It is a sacrificing love to imitate Jesus in his ultimate virtue of Charity.

Jesus Christ is always faithful, and forgiving. He yearns for our repentance and renewal. He takes us back and restore us anew. It is the generous nature of His love that amounts to Charity of Heart, Mind and Soul.

This Sacrament of Charity is memorialized in the celebration of the Eucharist. We are called and reminded constantly of this undying love of Jesus. This is why it is so very essential that we celebrate the Eucharist with our Community of Faith every Sunday or weekends to nourish our marriages and our dedication to God and to our families.

The Altar becomes all at once the Last Supper Table and at the same time, the Foot of the Cross

Remember, it is at this Altar that we celebrated your nuptials,

it is at this Altar, you administered the Sacrament of Matrimony to each other,

it is at this altar that you found nourishment that sustains you.

So come back to the Altar of the Lord's Sacrifice, the Sacrament and Thanksgiving

all the days of your life.

Marriage is unique and it calls for a distinct dedicated lives of a husband and wife in this sacrament of giving each to the other as a gift of love.

Today we face challenges to Marriage and Family.

Attachment	Size
Fidelity is not Easy... But worth it....	17.6 KB
Challenges to Marriage and Family	67.47 KB
Married and Loving it ....... most of the time ....	11.36 KB