Stanislaw Cardinal Rylko and Ennio Cardinal Antonelli recently encouraged the leadership of Worldwide Marriage Encounter to seek a more formal relationship with the Vatican.With over 30,000 couples worldwide experiencing this marriage enrichment program each year, the Vatican recognizes that this lay movement is vital to the life of the Church.
That was the message delivered by the two cardinals.
The newly selected Worldwide Marriage Encounter International Coordinating ecclesial team: Tony & Cathy Witczak of Philadelphia, PA, & Fr. Emile Frische MHM of New York City, NY. were meeting with the outgoing International leaders David & Bronny Lea of Pahiatua, New Zealand, and Fr. John Rate of Henley Beach, Australia in Rome for the transition to the new leadership.
Tony & Cathy and Fr. Emile expressed hope at the strong encouragement from the hierarchy to seek a more formal relationship. "This invitation signals that the Vatican believes we are worth protecting; we are important and we have made a difference in our world," they said.
Cardinal Rylko serves as president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, while Cardinal Antonelli holds the post of president of the Pontifical Council for the Family. The support of both cardinals allows for the process to begin for a more formal relationship with the Vatican.
The Worldwide Marriage Encounter movement is in over 90 countries worldwide, with over 6000 presenting couples and 1200 presenting priests.
With over a forty year history of helping to enrich marriages by teaching a communication technique that helps couples to keep their focus through the ups and downs of life, Worldwide Marriage Encounter is considered by many the first marriage enrichment program in the Catholic Church.
Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekends start on Friday evening and end on Sunday afternoon. Participants hear presentations by a couple and a priest and later write their thoughts and feelings which they share in the privacy of their room. There is no group discussion. Weekends are held in various locations, including hotels and retreat centers.
There is a cost for the weekend, but in the four decades of Worldwide Marriage Encounter, no couple has ever been turned away from attending a weekend because of lack of money.
Worldwide Marriage Encounter is a non-profit organization and all donations from the weekend are used to continue offering additional weekends throughout the country and the world.
Married couples who want to learn more about making their "good marriages, better" can find Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekends that are presented all over the United States. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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