Testimonials

Comments and reflections from participating

couples and youth,

and the Church and clergy.

Married and Engaged Couples

• We came as individuals, Marriage Enrichment made us a team again.
• It was a new beginning for us.
• We came because we thought we needed a new spark, but found we needed a complete overhaul.
• I was relieved to find out that other couples face the same challenges.
• We found the love we had misplaced.
• Marriage Enrichment brought us closer to Christ and to each other.

Youth

• God has a plan for everyone.
• You need to have God in your relationships.
• It made us try to think of real ways God should be in our dating lives.
• The talks gave realistic advice.
• It was helpful to actually hear from someone else that love is a choice, a feeling.  That hook-ups aren’t everything.
• The talk was informative, about love, sex, and dating all the while involving God.  It changed my views on a lot of scenarios, but in a good way.  It made me think about, not just my values, but the other person as well.
• This helped me see how important marriage is to everyone, and to me it’s more than what I thought it was.  I understand so much more now.
• It helped me realize that I still have a lifetime to understand what I believe, and that God is my light, and I’m sure He will light my way.
• I liked the analogy to life’s journey as a boat - with or without an oar.  Being able to take control of your life is very important.

Ministry Spiritual Director

"…Marriage is the natural and supernatural relationship between husband, wife, and children who share gifts of faith and life in a unique way.  We all know marriage is social and communal.  Marriage Enrichment builds on the natural communal aspect of marriage and raises marriage to the supernatural level by its focus on God, Sacrament, and Church.  What joy couples experience when they know their marriage and family is part of God's plan for them!”

Parish Pastor

“The real glory of the program is in its presentation and its effects.  It is useful for marriage preparation, for convalidations, for strengthening existing good marriages, and as a great celebratory event for couples who want to strengthen their communications with each other and the Lord.  It is community based, in preparation, presentation, and follow-up.  It is more "user friendly" to uneasy couples.  They come in hesitation, quickly get the comfortable vibes, and soon become enthusiastic participants.  From a pastoral point of view, these couples are the backbone of many of the outreach programs in the parish.  Once in love with their sacrament and their parish, their helpfulness is far reaching." 

Vatican   (1983)

• "We studied it with much interest and admiration
• Shows remarkable creativity in offering concrete answers to families needs
• Valid and original aspects … 
  • The growth perspective, of maturation starting from the point when the couple meets
  • the close relationship with the parish  and  collaboration  between  priest  and  couples
  • represents an excellent means of helping and supporting priests
• The active, numerous and varied participation of couples
• The complete vision given of the human, social and supernatural reality of marriage and the family."