Marriage Enrichment: Communication is the bedrock of any relationship

Differences in language between two people, based on what their family of origin passed on, can present a challenge By Marian Christiana Language, both verbal and physical, is a key ingredient to good communication. The first two factors dealing with good communication both focus on language. The first reminds us …

Marriage enrichment: Celebrating the diocese’s longest-married couples

A husband and wife married 69 years share their love story, which began in the ‘Magic City’ By Marian Christiana The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) National Marriage Week annual initiative begins Feb. 7 and ends Feb. 14 this year. Archbishop Charles Chaput, chairman of the Committee on Laity, …

Marriage enrichment: Christmas peacemakers

Advent is upon us, and no doubt we all are busy preparing to celebrate the birth of Christ with our loved ones. This Advent I would like to challenge you to join me in preparing for Christmas by becoming a peacemaker. A simple definition of peacemaker is a person who …

Marriage Enrichment: Mornings spent reflecting on mercy

Parishioners urged to explore one of God’s greatest gifts with Monsignor Humbrecht By Marian Christiana On Sept. 10, Monsignor Al Humbrecht partnered with the diocesan Office of Marriage Preparation and Enrichment to offer the first of four Mornings of Reflection on Mercy. As one of about 1,000 missionary priests of …

Marriage enrichment: Finding our Road to Emmaus

Our spiritual GPS instructs us to help others find their way as we keep family life holy By Marian Christiana In May I participated in a webinar hosted by the Center for Ministry Development called You Gotta Love Them: Insights into Welcoming, Accompanying and Empowering Families. The webinar was based …

Marriage enrichment: Keeping the family life holy

Pope affirms Church teaching on family and marriage in ‘The Joy of Love’ exhortation By Marian Christiana Family life is holy. It is messy but holy. Since his installation as pontiff, Pope Francis has helped to bring family life and its complications into sharper focus within the universal Church. During his …

Marriage enrichment: Helping couples blend their faith

Ecumenical, interfaith marriages should openly discuss religious practice By Marian Christiana Marriage preparation is one of the great joys of my job. I love working with couples of all ages who are beginning their marital journey. Their happiness and optimism is infectious, and their enthusiasm spills over into my own …

Marriage Enrichment: The secret to wedded bliss

Diocese’s longest-married couples share thoughts on matrimonial longevity By Marian Christiana It is February and love is in the air! February is the month that is dedicated to valentines, candy, flowers and special dates. Although those expressions of love are wonderful, they are not the foundation of lasting love. In …

Marriage enrichment: Celebrating marriage

Strong, long-lasting partnerships serve as role models for us all By Marian Christiana Bishop Richard F. Stika and the Office of Marriage and Enrichment will be honoring long-lasting marriages in February. Before I get into the details of that, let me discuss the importance of long-lasting marriages. Long-lasting marriages are …

Marriage enrichment: We are pilgrims, not tourists!

Remembering what our ‘mission’ is, we must take Pope Francis’ words to heart By Marian Christiana I have just returned from the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia, and I want to share a bit about our pilgrimage. Seventy-two pilgrims from our diocese traveled together by bus to all three …

Marriage Enrichment: Preparing for Pope Francis

Diocese is actively engaged in World Meeting of Families as paper visit nears By Marian Christiana The Pope is coming! The Pope is coming! In case you didn’t know, Pope Francis will be coming to the United States in September. He will arrive in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Sept. 22. …