Fred and Donna Ventura of Kula, Maui, WWME Hawaii executive couple. (Photo courtesy of Worldwide Marriage Encounter Hawaii)
KIHEI — Fred and Donna Ventura of Kula, Maui, have been selected to serve as the Worldwide Marriage Encounter Hawaii executive couple.
The Venturas follow Jose and Mary Elizabeth Alvior of Mililani who completed their second two-year term as WWME Hawaii’s leaders in April.
“Thank you to Fred and Donna for saying yes to leading Hawaii and our marriage ministry for the next two years,” Jose Alvior said.
“We join the Hawaii community in supporting their leadership and continuing our mission to proclaim the values of matrimony and holy orders,” added Mary Elizabeth Alvior.
Region 12 Executive Couple Chris and Ann Aguilar of San Jose, Calif., led the selection process on April 14 at St. Theresa Church in Kihei. Father Marvin Samiano, a presenting priest for Hawaii’s WWME, celebrated Mass.
The Venturas are parishioners of Holy Ghost Mission in Kula. They’ve been married for almost 37 years. They are the parents of two married sons and have four grandchildren.
Fred Ventura, who retired from Hawaiian Tel in 2016, serves as a parish handyman and volunteers in Holy Ghost Gift Shop. He was a longtime Boy Scout leader on Maui and now serves as its District Camping Chairman.
Donna Ventura, a former Hawaiian Commercial and Sugar Co. human resources employee, is parish secretary for the Kula Catholic Community. She has been volunteering as a religious education teacher for more than two decades. She also has been very active as a volunteer and leader with Boy Scouts on Maui.
The Venturas attended an anniversary Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekend in September 2013. They were commissioned as a presenting team soon after.
“We enjoy this ministry because we do it together, working with couples and our priests,” Donna Ventura said.
“We feel humbled and blessed to be called to leadership and will do our very best to serve a ministry that has meant so much for our marriage,” Fred Ventura said.
Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekends in Hawaii are scheduled for Aug. 3-5 at Christ the King Church in Kahului, Maui; Aug. 31-Sept. 2 at the St. Anthony Retreat Center in Honolulu; and Nov. 16-18 at St. Theresa Church in Kihei.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Worldwide Marriage Encounter in the United States. Next year Hawaii will host a first-time WWME Region 12 enrichment on Maui, March 1-3. Region 12 encompasses Encountered couples and priests from Hawaii, Guam, Saipan, northern and central California, and northern Nevada.
Worldwide Marriage Encounter offers weekend and enrichment experiences for couples and priests. It’s considered the original faith-based marriage enrichment program.
The program has a presence in almost 100 countries, which makes it the largest pro-marriage movement in the world. In North America, the Marriage Encounter programs are presented in English, Spanish, French and Korean languages.
For more information, contact the Venturas at 298-4241 or email donnav3@hawaiiantel.net. Information also is available at www.hawaiiwwme.org.
