By David and Sue Shanahan
Special to the Herald
For the first time on Oahu, a Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend will be offered in Spanish. The aim of the experience, Aug. 4-6 at the St. Anthony Retreat Center in Kalihi Valley, is to enrich the sacraments of holy matrimony for married couples and holy orders for priests.
This weekend is being offered in Spanish for couples who are more comfortable speaking about matters of the heart in that language. All couples, no matter what language they speak, deserve a Marriage Encounter weekend in which to listen, share and connect more deeply. This experience is about couples learning to be the best, most loving couple they can be.
Spanish-speaking presenting team couples and a priest from southern California will lead the weekend. Hawaii’s English-speaking WWME community is assisting with planning and logistical support.
For more than 50 years, Worldwide Marriage Encounter has provided its experience to more than 3.5 million couples in nearly 100 countries. The Catholic weekend unlocks the power of the couple’s relationships with each other and the priest’s relationships with the people of God.
Although there are opportunities for couples to share during the weekend, participation is voluntary, and there’s no group discussion. We have seen the power of the Holy Spirit at work during weekends, transforming couples and priests into the best sacraments they can be.
This weekend will be led by Joaquin and Jennie Salazar, Region 14 Encuentro Matrimonial Mundial leaders from southern California. They said they are looking forward to presenting this experience to Spanish-speaking couples in Hawaii.
Couples and priests can apply for the weekend online at www.hawaiiwwme.org. There is a $100 application fee, but no couple is turned away for the inability to pay. For more information, contact Joaquin and Jennie Salazar (562) 964-7673 or email joaquin.jennie.salazar@wwme.org.
An English language weekend will be held at St Anthony Retreat Center Sept. 1-3. Couples are encouraged to apply at www.hawaiiwwme.org. For more information, contact Ed and Betty Coda at (808) 258-6688 or by email, codawwme@gmail.com.
Worldwide Marriage Encounter’s mission is to proclaim the value of marriage and holy orders in the church and in the world. Marriage is the foundation of the family, and family is the bedrock of the church. It is in the family that we learn to love as Jesus loves, and to forgive 70 times 7 times. In a family we learn the rules of society, the patterns of a moral life. In our families we learn about God, and within the community of parish life, we celebrate all the milestones of life, from birth to death. Thanks to the vocation of holy orders, the church continues to support us as we journey toward our heavenly home.
In today’s world we face much discord and confusion. Many are suspicious of formerly trusted institutions. Long-held norms of society are questioned and even discarded as no longer true. When Jesus said, “I am the way the truth and the life,” it may well have been for times such as these.
Marriage Encounter helps couples come closer to each other and to God. Through a series of presentations couples are encouraged to rediscover the love they have for one another and discover the central role God has in their marriage. We are passionate about marriage and holy orders and volunteer many hours and weekends to promote and uphold them. We long to share with married couples the tools we learned by attending a WWME weekend and wish for you to experience the joy God intends for marriage.
David and Sue Shanahan are the Hawaii Marriage Encounter Executive Team.
