Growing a Great Marriage with Help from the John Paul II Centre for Life
by Maria Schmetzer, Acting Director, John Paul II Centre for Life
A husband and wife, intertwined with God at the centre of their relationship. This is the threefold cord which Scripture presents as the ideal for a joy-filled, life-long marriage. This is much more than having a Church wedding and going to Mass together. If we have not found our identity in Christ and our security first
in our relationship with Him, then our marriage cord will not be as strong as it needs to be, to survive in our sometimes toxic culture and to overcome a host of challenges, including those which come with raising a family.
From the time of a couple’s engagement, through to the golden, diamond and ruby anniversaries, the John Paul II Centre has been creating more opportunities for couples to reflect on their own marriage goals and work at forging their already good marriage into a truly great marriage.
Dio Date Night at the Commodore Hotel in June and the Marriage Unplugged seminars in Christchurch and Timaru, were three such marriage-related events. The John Paul II Centre also schedules Joy-Filled Marriage Preparation courses every few months for engaged couples, introducing them to the Theology of the Body — a rich and enlightening teaching on God’s astounding plan for our sexuality and relationships. Couples who have attended these courses, have welcomed the insights gained and come away with a deeper appreciation of their spouse and of God’s ever-present help.
Recently, we have also established our confidential, free Marriage Mentor service. Married couples with queries or concerns are welcome to approach one of our experienced Mentor couples for one-to-one support, a listening ear or advice. For more information on our Marriage Preparation and Marriage Enrichment Courses, please see the ‘Our Services’ section on our website: jp2.org.nz
