Marriage Weekend

Last weekend, we were immersed and assisting in a marriage enrichment weekend attended by a large number of couples. It was the first weekend in 3 years that had been held in Newcastle area.
The scene was set, the venue was the grounds of the Sacred Heart Cathedral Hamilton- suburb on Newcatle. 15 couples booked and all the team- of previous atendances were assembled and gathered to play there part. Other couples, who couldn't help out physically supported the weekend by prayer.
Some couples were nervous, some were excited, others were just curious, but all were being prayed for and arrived to a beautiful late breakfast/ morning tea. it was a way of making them feel at ease before entering the flow of the weekend.
Many couples who attend are so ill informed about our catholic faith, so it is a great time to re educate and rejuvernate there marriages.  It was a lovely experience and one that is well presented by the Newcastle team.
We attended our weekend around 9 years ago, and it has enriched our marriage and has been the greatest influence on our marriage. It was also were we experienced our couple conversion and were able to re-ignite the fire of love we have for each other.
Since then we have either supported this community through hospitality for the weekend, running gathering  groups monthly in our home, for couples after they have attended the weekend, or mentor engaged couples through  there Embrace program. We run it is our home as we need to. So it is one on one. Couple to couple.
For many couples this program is the first contact, after getting married in the church, that they have with a community, so the theology behind the weekend, is not watered down, but is tailored and smart enough to entice them to know more.
They are then able to deepen their Faith and learn more about God and what a beautiful message, he has for the marriage and their family.
It certainly did this with us. We learnt and deepened our relationship, but it also took us on a journey of discovery of who God was in our lives. As we grew deeper in love, so did our love for God, and so then our desire to want to know God and all about this church deepened as well. We developed a deeper relationship with God.
The flood gates flew open and we were ready to say 'yes' to God as a couple, and as individuals.

If you get the chance, say Yes and attend the weekend. It will be a blessing in your already wondeful marriage. The link above, has links to the New Zealand, UK and USA, as well.