THE GLORY OF EVANGELIZATION THE VALUE OF PERSONAL TESTIMONY
CELEBRATING YOUNG PEOPLE YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULT EVENTS
AROUND THE DIOCESE PARISH NEWS AND HAPPENINGS
CANADIAN CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS JUBILEE 2025
THE GLORY OF ENCOUNTER MARRIAGE ENCOUNTER WEEKENDS A BLESSING
A RELIC OF THE TRUE CROSS WAS UNVEILED AT THE CATHEDRAL OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
DIOCESAN ROUND UP UPCOMING EVENTS
ALL SAINTS AN ALL SOULS’ FEA DAYS
Two very meaningful Feast days fal at the beginning of November: All Saints Day (November 1) and All Souls’ Day (November 2). These days offer us a chance to honour those who have gone before us and reflect on our own journey toward holiness.
WHAT IS ALL SAINTS DAY?
SAINT JOSEPH
All Saints Day is observed on November 1st each year and is dedicated to honouring all of the saints in heaven. All Saints Day also serves as a powerful reminder of the Communion of Saints in which all of the faithful, those in heaven and those on earth, are spiritually connected.
We not only celebrate canonized saints, but also those who lived holy lives, even if they are not officially recognized by the Church.
Patron: of the Universal Church, unborn children, fathers, workers, travelers, immigrants, and a happy death
FOUR WAYS TO HONOUR ALL SAINTS DAY
1. ATTEND MASS
All Saints Day is a beautiful day to attend Mass. It’s an opportunity to thank God for the witness of the saints and to ask for their intercession.
2.REFLECT ON THE LIVES OF THE SAINTS
Consider spending some time reading about the lives of saints who inspire you. Choose a saint that holds particular meaning for you or your family, and ask for their intercession in your daily life. Your confirmation saint name could be a wonderful place to start.
2. PRAY THE LITANY OF THE SAINTS
This beautiful and ancient prayer invokes the names of saints from different periods in the Church’s history, asking for their prayers. It is especially appropriate to pray on All Saints Day to connect ourselves with the great cloud of witnesses in heaven.
Find the Litany of The Saints HERE
4. WATCH A MOVIE ON THE LIFE OF A SAINT
Many excellent movies, books and short stories have been written honouring the lives of the Saints. If you have young children you could check out FORMED’s Saints and Heroes Collection:
If you are looking for something for an older audience, here are a few movies that are worth checking out: The Song of Bernadette, Joan of Arc, Molokai, Cabrini, Brother Sun, Sister Moon, Paul Apostle of Christ, Thérèse, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Karol (a two film set).
HOW TO OBTAIN A PLENARY INDULGENCE
“An indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, which the faithful Christian who is duly disposed gains under certain prescribed conditions through the action of the Church which, as the minister of redemption, dispenses and applies with authority the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ and the saints". [CCC 1471]
To gain a plenary indulgence a person must go to Sacramental Confession, Eucharistic Communion, pray for the Pope's intentions, have no attachment to sin (even venial) and then perform the PRESCRIBED INDULGENCE ACT (See Below).
Plenary indulgences may be obtained on the following dates in November:
NOVEMBER 1-8 SUFFRAGE FOR HOLY SOULS IN PURGATORY
On any day from November 1 to 8, devoutly visit a cemetery and pray for the departed The indulgence is applied to the departed [Grant 29 1 2]
Benjamin Shah Business Owner
NOVEMBER 2, 2024
ALL SOULS DAY
Visit a church or oratory and pray an Our Father, and the Creed. The indulgence is applied to the departed. [Grant 29.1.2]
NOVEMBER 24, 2024
SOLEMNITY OF CHRIST THE KING
Pray Most Sweet Jesus, Redeemer. [Grant 2] FIND THE PRAYER HERE
WHAT IS ALL SOULS’ DAY?
All Souls’ Day, November 2, is a day set aside to pray for the souls of the faithful departed, especially those who are in purgatory, undergoing purification before entering the fullness of heaven.
While we hope and believe that our loved ones are in heaven, we also recognize that many may still be on their journey towards their eternal home. Our prayers can help them in this final purification
THREE WAYS TO HONOR ALL SOULS’ DAY
1. ATTEND MASS
Attending Mass on All Souls’ Day is a beautiful way to pray for the souls of the deceased. The Mass is the highest form of prayer we can offer, and it’s especially powerful when offered for the repose of the souls in purgatory.
2. PRAY FOR THOSE WHO HAVE PASSED
One of the most traditional practices on All Souls’ Day is visiting the graves of deceased loved ones and offering prayers for their souls. Many choose to light a candle at their loved ones’ resting place symbolizing the
hope of eternal life. You may consider saying these prayers for the faithful departed:
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
Amen.”
-Eternal Rest Prayer
“Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.”
- Psalm 130
3. OFFER A NOVENA FOR THE DEPARTED
Another powerful way to honour All Souls’ Day is to pray a novena which is a series of prayers that are said for nine straight days; offering it for the souls in purgatory.
ALPHONSUS LIGUORI NOVENA FOR THE HOLY SOULS IN PURGATORY.
All Saints Day and All Souls’ Day provide us with a special time to reflect on the Church’s teachings about heaven, purgatory, and the saints. By attending Mass, offering prayers, and engaging in traditions, we can honour the saints who have gone before us and help the faithful departed on their journey toward eternal life.
May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
IMPORTANT FEASTS
FROM THE HOLY FATHER
NOVEMBER PRAYER INTENTION
FOR PARENTS WHO HAVE LOST A CHILD
Death is an experience which touches all families, without exception It is part of life; yet, where familial love is concerned, death never seems natural For parents, surviving their own children is particularly heartbreaking; it contradicts the fundamental nature of the very relationships that give meaning to the family. The loss of a son or daughter is like time stopping altogether: it opens a chasm that swallows both past and future. Death, which takes away a little child or young person, is a blow to the promises, to the gifts and the sacrifices of love joyfully brought to the life we gave birth to
“In the People of God, by the grace of his compassion granted in Jesus, many families prove by their deeds that death does not have the last word: this is a true act of faith. Every time a family in mourning even terrible mourning finds the strength to guard the faith and love that
AND LET US REMEMBER JESUS’
DEED: ‘AND JESUS GAVE HIM BACK TO HIS MOTHER’, SO HE WILL DO WITH ALL OUR LOVED ONES AND WITH US WHEN WE MEET AGAIN
unite us to those we love, it has already prevented death from taking everything. The darkness of death should be confronted with a more intense work of love “My God, lighten my darkness!”, is the invocation of evening prayer In the light of the Resurrection of the Lord, who abandons none of those whom the Father entrusted to him, we can take the “sting” out of death, as the Apostle Paul says (1 Cor 15:55); we can prevent it from poisoning life, from rendering vain our love, from pushing us into the darkest chasm.
God’s work of love is stronger than the work of death. It is of that love, it is precisely of that love, that we must make ourselves hard-working “accomplices”, with our faith! And let us remember Jesus’ deed: “And Jesus gave him back to his mother”, so he will do with all our loved ones and with us when we meet again, when death will be definitively conquered in us. It was conquered by Jesus’ Cross. Jesus will give us all back to the family!
Pope Francis
Excerpt - General Audience Saint Peter's Square Wednesday, 17 June 2015
FROM THE HOLY FATHER
POPE FRANCIS’ ENCYCLICAL ‘DILEXIT NOS,’
ON THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS
Encyclical Summary by: Fr. David Rioux
Pope Francis offers a letter on the devotion to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, from his meditations and appeals in June, the month dedicated to the Sacred Heart, in advance of the anniversary of Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque’s December vision of Christ’s heart of burning charity. See his letter, Delixit nos, here. From the letter:
‘The symbol of the heart has often been used to express the love of Jesus Christ. Some have questioned whether this symbol is still meaningful today Yet living as we do in an age of superficiality, rushing frenetically from one thing to another without really knowing why, and ending up as insatiable consumers and slaves to the mechanisms of a market unconcerned about the deeper meaning of our lives, all of us need to rediscover the importance of the heart’ (§2).
But ‘the heart continues to be seen in the popular mind as the affective centre of each human being, so it remains the best means of signifying the divine love of Christ, united forever and inseparably to His wholly human love’ (§61).
‘If we devalue the heart, we also devalue what it means to speak from the heart, to act with the heart, to cultivate and heal the heart. If we fail to appreciate the specificity of the heart, we miss the
IF WE DEVALUE THE HEART, WE ALSO DEVALUE WHAT IT MEANS TO SPEAK FROM THE HEART, TO ACT WITH THE HEART, TO CULTIVATE AND HEAL THE HEART.
messages that the mind alone cannot communicate; we miss out on the richness of our encounters with others; we miss out on poetry. We also lose track of history and our own past, since our real personal history is built with the heart. At the end of our lives, that alone will matter’ (§11).
‘The heart makes all authentic bonding possible, since a relationship not shaped by the heart is incapable of overcoming the fragmentation caused by individualism… A society dominated by narcissism and self-centredness will increasingly become “heartless”. This will lead in turn to the “loss of desire”, since as other persons disappear from the horizon we find ourselves trapped within walls of our own making, no longer capable of healthy relationships As a result, we also become incapable of openness to God’ (§17)
Over these ruins wracked by selfishness, division, and hatred, Saint John Paul explained that by entrusting ourselves together to the heart of Christ, “the greatly desired civilization of love, the Kingdom of the heart of Christ, can be built” (§182). ‘In union with Christ, amid the ruins we have left in this world by our sins, we are called to build a new civilization of love. That is what it means to make reparation as the heart of Christ would have us do. Amid the devastation wrought by evil, the heart of
FROM THE HOLY FATHER
Christ desires that we cooperate with him in restoring goodness and beauty to our world’ (§182).
‘The Christian message is attractive when experienced and expressed in its totality: not simply as a refuge for pious thoughts or an occasion for impressive ceremonies. What kind of worship would we give to Christ if we were to rest content with an individual relationship with him and show no interest in relieving the sufferings of others or helping them to live a better life? Would it please the heart that so loved us, if we were to bask in a private religious experience while ignoring its implications for the society in which we live? Let us be honest and accept the word of God in its fullness. On the other hand, our work as Christians for the betterment of society should not obscure its religious inspiration, for that, in the end, would be to seek less for our brothers and sisters than what God desires to give them’ (§205).
Let us begin by working on our own hearts, with Pope Benedict XVI’s suggestion, ‘to recognize in the heart of Christ an intimate and daily presence in our lives:
“Every person needs a ‘centre’ for their own life, a source of truth and goodness to draw upon in the events, situations and struggles of daily existence. All of us, when we pause in silence, need to feel not only the beating of our own heart, but deeper still, the beating of a trustworthy presence, perceptible with faith’s senses and yet much more real: the presence of Christ, the heart of the world” (§81)
We can work on our hearts in Eucharistic Adoration, where Saint John Henry Newman ‘encountered the living heart of Jesus, capable of setting us free, giving meaning to each moment of our lives, and bestowing true peace’ (§26) and offered this prayer:
O most Sacred, most loving Heart of Jesus, Thou art concealed in the Holy Eucharist, and Thou beatest for us still…
I worship Thee then with all my best love and awe, with my fervent affection, with my most subdued, most resolved will.
O my God, when Thou dost condescend to suffer me to receive Thee, to eat and drink Thee, and Thou for a while takest up Thy abode within me, O make my heart beat with Thy Heart.
Purify it of all that is earthly, all that is proud and sensual, all that is hard and cruel, of all perversity, of all disorder, of all deadness.
So fill it with Thee, that neither the events of the day nor the circumstances of the time may have power to ruffle it, but that in Thy love and Thy fear it may have peace.
MARIE-LÉONIE PARADIS CANONIZED OCTOBER 20, 2024
Blessed Mother Marie-Léonie Paradis was Canonized October 20th, 2024. She was approved for Canonization on Monday, July 1st, 2024 when the College of Cardinals gathered with Pope Francis, in the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace for an Ordinary Public Consistory.
According to the The Centre MarieLeonie Paradis, Saint Marie-Léonie Paradis, was born May 12, 1840, in the village of L’Acadie, Quebec. She entered the novitiate of the Marianite Sisters of Holy Cross at the age of fourteen taking the name in religion of Sister Marie of Sainte Léonie. She spent time teaching in Quebec before being sent to New York, Indiana and briefly Michigan. At the age of 34 she was called to direct a team of novices and postulants at St. Joseph’s College in Memramcook New Brunswick, to help the Holy Cross Fathers in the mission of educating young Acadians.
SAINT MARIE-LÉONIE PARADIS
Saint Marie-Léonie Paradis opened a workshop for young Acadian women attracted to consecrated life. The community grew, and in August of 1877, 14 young women donned the religious habit On May 31, 1880, the new community was recognized by the Holy Cross Fathers.
Though she struggled for nearly 20 years trying to have her Institute approved as an independent religious institution in the Diocese of Saint John, her perseverance eventually paid off. In 1895, a group of Sisters went to Sherbrooke, Quebec to serve in the diocesan seminary there.
PHOTO : CREDIT THE CENTRE MARIE-LÉONIE PARADIS
The Most Reverend Paul LaRocque, Bishop of Sherbrooke, welcomed the motherhouse and the novitiate of the Little Sisters of the Holy Family and approved the Institute less than a year later on January 26, 1896.
Saint Marie-Léonie was drawn to serving Christ in the person of the priest. Providing prayer and active support, working with priests in their ministries and by improving the quality of life of the young people who attended the colleges “Our mission in the Church is to help the priest on the temporal and spiritual planes,” she wrote. “But what it really demands as a supreme witness is for us to love one another and to love all people, not with just any love, but with all the love that God wants to give them We must therefore repeat without tiring that our principal work is to give love.”
At the time of her death on May 3rd, 1912, the Institution had 635 nuns working in Canada and the United States. Today, there are more than 1,600 women who have chosen to become Little Sisters of the Holy Family. Saint Marie-Léonie Paradis became the 15th canonized saint in Canada on October 20, 2024.
Rev. Dr. Michael McGowan, Chancellor of the Diocese of Saint John has his own connection to Saint Marie-Léonie Paradis and her order “I have very fond memories of the Little Sisters of the Holy Family. They had a convent attached to the Seminary I studied at in Ottawa and kept us healthy and fit by their delicious cooking.”
“The nuns were very unassuming and carried out their ministry with much love and devotion. They took care of me and others for over 9 years. They are owed a huge debt of gratitude For over 20 years, St Marie Leonie Paradis and her little Sisters, founded in the Diocese of Saint John, ministered at St. Joseph’s College in Memramcook.”
Jamey Guerrero was in Rome last week. “We missed the Canonization Mass but we were able to capture a picture of Canada's, and New Brunswick's own Saint Marie Leonie Paradis’ banner at St Peter's Square.”
THE VALUE OF PERSONAL TESTIMONY
For a long time, I was hesitant to talk about my faith at work. Whenever the opportunity came up, it felt like something inside was urging me to speak, but I’d always silence that voice mainly out of fear of being judged or missing out on opportunities.
About two years ago, I decided to change that. Instead of holding back, I started sharing my faith when opportunities naturally arose. For example, last Friday, one of my bosses and I were chatting about our favorite Subway sandwiches, and I mentioned that I always get tuna on Fridays because, as a Catholic, I don’t eat meat on Fridays. She responded, “Interesting, I didn’t know that Catholics did that,” which led to a great conversation about the meaning behind small sacrifices in our faith
Sometimes we shy away from talking about God in our public lives because we understand faith as a private matter. Others feel guilty that we are not doing enough and that instead, we should be doing, great works of evangelization.
I agree with Fr. Mike Schmitz that our greatest work of evangelization often comes from our closest circles: our family, friends, and coworkers It’s not always the big, grand gestures but the small, seemingly casual conversations that can bear great fruit even if we never see the results.
Remember, Jesus wants all of you: your private life and your public life. Not just a part, but all of you.
So, I challenge you this week: if an opportunity arises to speak about God or your faith at work, give it a try. You might be surprised by the outcome.
Jimy Beltran, Frederiton.
For more information about Catholic Young Adults Fredericton, visit https://www.cyafredericton.com/
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CLASSES ARE IN FULL SWING ACROSS THE DIOCESE!
A big thank you to all who are serving and helping to educate our children in the faith Please contact your parish for more information about Religious Education in your area.
Photo: Fr McRae blessing families at the Cathedral Religious Education Meet and Greet
SAVE THE DATE FOR TWO IMPORTANT DIOCESAN MASSES:
December 9, 6:30 pm Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception (Joint Feast Day of the Diocese of Saint John and the Sisters of Charity of the Immaculate Conception –Reception to follow at the Cathedral Rectory)
December 29, 5:00 pm – Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph (Diocesan Opening of the Jubilee Year)
AROUND THE DIOCESE
SISTERS OF CHARITY OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION CELEBRATE 170TH ANNIVERSARY
Please join us in a prayer of thanksgiving for the Sisters of Charity of the Immaculate Conception who celebrated the 170th anniversary of their foundation on October 22, 2024
The Sisters of Charity of the Immaculate Conception were founded on Oct 21, 1854 by Honoria Conway and are in their 170th year of presence among the people of God! Responding to the 1854 cholera crisis in Saint John, Bishop Thomas Connoly, the second bishop of the Diocese was able to bring four women to Saint John to minister to those suffering Through the years nearly 600 women have followed in their footsteps across Canada and into Peru They are the first Englishspeaking congregation founded in Canada
STUDENT FUN
Please join in praying for all Sisters of Charity of the Immaculate Conception past and present, in thanksgiving for 170 years of walking in the Spirit!
Photo courtesy of SCN Communications: (L to R) Sisters Roma De Robertis, Mary Ann Maxwell & Pat Poole
AROUND THE DIOCESE
HOLY SPIRIT PARISH PICNIC
(SAINT JOHN REGION)
I want to thank everyone who participated in our Picnic held two weeks ago. Once again, I am overwhelmed by this much needed event I want to begin by thanking our Revitalization Chair, Tom Paisley, for taking on the role of coordinator of this important event in the life of our parish So many moving parts, which have become so well organized. We are grateful for your leadership Tom! As well, I want to thank Gail Brown for her wonderful Emcee work, for directing us throughout the event To Mary Rose for sharing her musical talents and song we thank you On our behalf, I want to thank the many dedicated volunteers (over 30) who prepared and decorated the space, those who served, picked up and prepared the food To those who spent their time with the children’s games, those who donated prizes, those of you who donated extra food (meat trays, fruit trays and Subway Subs) and those who contributed cash to help defer the cost Finally, many thanks to those of you who came to support such an important event Thank you to everyone! As your parish priest, nothing gives me more life and affirms my own faith then to witness the Holy Spirit (our parish name) working in the lives of other people! From this annual picnic, I have witnessed this firsthand, gathered with so many from both Worship Sites, who came to be part of this important event in the life of our parish community! May we be always grateful for what God has given us!
Fr David
CATHEDRAL OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION ALPHA (SAINT JOHN REGION)
STUDENT FUN
The Cathedral was delighted to have the happy problem of well exceeding their original limit for Alpha participants Many registered after cutoff was reached, some even came to the kickoff night without having registered at all because they had heard about Alpha and wanted to check it out, or were invited by a friend to attend The team decided to make room to accommodate everyone so that no one had to be turned away
“Holy Spirit Parish (who has run several successful Alphas) loaned two members of their leadership team to mentor leaders at the Cathedral These mentors have been instrumental in helping us get Alpha off the ground at the Cathedral and have invested a significant amount of time in training, helping with preparations, MC-ing and even leading a small group A great example of cross parish collaboration and a good news story all around!”
Please pray for this Alpha and all Alphas taking place in the diocese Come Holy Spirit!
EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS IN HALIFAX
Patricia Lee, Director of Catechesis and Jim Anderson, Director of Missionary Discipleship Formation and Bishop Christian Riesbeck, CC, joined in celebrating the Eucharist Congress in Halifax as well connecting with friends old and new. The relics of Carlos Acutis were with them throughout the Congress
AROUND THE DIOCESE
THE PLENARY ASSEMBLY OF THE CANADIAN CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS
On September 23-27, the Plenary Assembly of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) gathered in Beaupré, Quebec, for its annual meeting, bringing together 79 Bishops including Bishop Christian Riesbeck, CC to deliberate, discern, and discuss the life of the Church in Canada Convoked at least once a year, the Plenary Assembly considers a broad range of topics related to the evangelizing mission of the Episcopal Conference, including reports and questions from the Episcopal Commissions and other advisory bodies of the Conference In addition, the agenda, which is set by the Permanent Council, may include discussions on special topics
STUDENT FUN
Please continue to pray for Bishop Riesbeck and all our bishops!
ST. CROIX PARISH MILLTOWN CEMETERY UPDATES (SAINT JOHN REGION)
St. Croix Parish has recently completed some udpdates to the Milltown Cemetery, including fixing the Altar Some more projects on the horizon include the removal of 10 trees, which the parish is currently seeking donations for Special thanks to Tom and Jim for all your hard work keeping our loved ones' resting place in such good shape.
AROUND THE DIOCESE
ATLANTIC CATECHETICAL ASSOCIATION MEETINGS
The Atlantic Catechetical Association meetings wrapped up with an opportunity to have a “Conversation in the Spirit” reflecting on the pastoral letter from the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, on catechesis in the family Also joining us was Marg Shea-Lawrence, Director of Evangelization and Catechesis for CCCB
The Holy Spirit guided our meetings and we left Halifax with a burning desire to proclaim that ‘Jesus Christ loves you He gave his life to save you And now He is living at your side every day to enlighten, strengthen and free you.’
(Evangelii Gaudium, no 164)
GOOD SHEPHERD PARISH SUPPER (MIRAMICHI REGION)
VILLA MADONNA RETREAT HOUSE
Things are heating up (literally) at the Villa Madonna retreat House. New propane boilers are being installed to replace the outdated heat system to a more efficient source.
November will see many guests visiting the Villa Madonna to partake in the peaceful and prayerful space that this special place offers.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Thank you everyone who helped in anyway with a very successful Spaghetti Supper To those that donated the items for it, those who sold tickets, to all the workers and those that showed up to enjoy it
November 19 - Senior’s Mass and Lunch at 11 email: admindirector@villamadonna ca no later than November 14 to registe
November 8-10 Young Adults Retreat Please contact kathdesmond01@gmail com for more information
November 16, Fall Catholic Women’s Retreat contact munroegabrielle2020@gmail com for more information
November 22 -24th AASEA “Called to Friendship” with Jesus – Weekend Silent Guided-Directed Retreat To Register or more information please contact Bob McDermott 506-696-4772 or email mcdermot@nbnet nb ca
CANADIAN CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS JUBILEE 2025
Canada’s National Shrines are renowned places of pilgrimage During the Jubilee Year 2025, pilgrims are invited to make a special effort to visit the shrines to pray for peace and to experience a renewed joy that springs from Christian hope Please consult the links below to learn about activities taking place in the National Shrines throughout the Jubilee Year – 2025.
St. Joseph’s Oratory
Sainte Anne de Beaupré
Our Lady of the Cape
Canadian Martyrs' Shrine
Anthony’s Hermitage
The Bishop Velychkovsky Martyr’s Shrine
The Jubilee Year will start with the opening of the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica on 24 December 2024 and conclude with its closing on 6 January 2026 Pope Francis has also asked that special Masses be celebrated in every Cathedral and Co-Cathedral worldwide on 29 December 2024 .The opening Mass for the Jubilee Year in the Diocese of Saint John will take place on December 29, 2024 at 5:00 pm.
The Ordinary Jubilee of the Year 2025 is an opportunity for all people to enter into a pilgrimage of hope Whether we celebrate locally (in our dioceses, cathedrals or Canada’s National Shrines) or make a pilgrimage to Rome, we are called to search for signs of hope and be signs of hope
LEARN MORE
Saint
THE GLORY OF ENCOUNTER
MARRIAGE ENCOUNTER WEEKENDS A BLESSING
The Worldwide Marriage Encounter (wwme.org) was a blessing we never thought we would need.
Having to decide to register for this weekend retreat weeks ago, was the best decision to invest in our marriage. The new-to-us marriage tools that were taught during the entire weekend were very intense, practical, easy (towards the end but hard during the first few attempts), and extremely helpful for us.
MARK & GENESSA NAGAS
The exercises were given from Day 1 until Day 3 for us to master to use the tools required to communicate effectively...and boy, we sure did master it after being grilled for the entire weekend doing the Dialogues and love letters expressed after we were asked to write them!!
Lots of tears, unveiling of our innermost feelings and fears, and other truths that most married couples tend to hide, or refrain from speaking about to keep the peace at home.
Sadly enough, most couples-including us-- tend to keep issues at bay because, in
reality, it is difficult to discuss hard things with your spouse...yet these issues are ready to resurface when something or someone pulls the trigger!
The retreat is centered on God’s design for marriage, and provided us with tools and "how-to's" for when we returned home after the weekend retreat.
The retreat is geared towards couples (married either civilly or Sacramentally) who have been married for longer years however, it is equally useful for
Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend in Saint John at the Villa Madonna Retreat House
new couples too! Some participants were married for decades, yet, they chose to invest on this weekend for the sake of their relationship.
You certainly don't need to be in a troubled marriage to benefit from this retreat! Couples who decide to invest on the retreat are mostly the ones who have stronger marriages, and are seeking to grow deeper in their marriage. We didn't know we needed this couple's retreat until we invested and experienced the Worldwide Marriage Encounter!
Now we look forward to doing our follow-up session and sharing the wonderful things with other interested couples or encouraging couples to give themselves this weekend. You deserve to learn more about yourself, your spouse, or even your parishioners (if you are a priest or religious individual facilitating ministries).
Look for wwme.org in your country (present in 90 countries worldwide) and I kid you not, every couple needs this, whether you know it or not! I know because I thought we had it all figured out until this weekend!
