Marriage Ministries

Enrichment evenings for married couples are presented periodically throughout the year. These events are designed to provide spiritual support to our married couples as they continue to grow together, weather challenges and change, and come to an ever-deeper love in Christ. Enrichment evenings are centered on particular aspects of Christian marriage, and feature speakers, discussion, reflection and prayer.

Part of our recent tradition here at St. Joe’s is to host a dinner evening for married couples on World Marriage Day Weekend, the weekend closest to Valentine’s Day. This year our Married Couples’ Dinner Evening will be held on Saturday, Feb. 11th, from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. As always, we will begin with a prayer, share a lovely catered dinner, listen to an inspirational talk on marriage, have some announcements and door prizes, and then close our evening with a prayer of blessing upon the married couples. It’s always a lovely evening, and one that affirms, inspires, and strengthens the couples that attend, whether they are young marrieds, midlife couples, or longtime married couples. It also celebrates the wisdom, love, and commitment shown by our couples, as they live the sacrament of marriage day by day.

This year’s theme is “A Marriage That Blesses the World.” We’ll take a look at how married persons are meant to be a blessing to their spouse, their children, their extended families, and also to the larger world. Married couples are meant to show the world what committed, covenant love looks like…and how that is lived out. And they are meant to make that love a light and a blessing to the whole world. As couples grow and mature, the circle of their love reaches out more and more to embrace the wider human family, and each couple does this in a unique way. In light of this theme, our speakers this year, John and Maggie Williams, will witness as to how this happened in their own marriage, as they raised a family, had satisfying careers, became grandparents, and then felt God calling them to do volunteer work, ministering to some of the poorest of the world’s poor in Africa. They’ll also talk about why they undertook such a journey and what they’ve learned along the way. The story of their marital journey and what God has done with them and through them will inspire us all!

Tickets for this evening are $25/couple, and must be purchased in advance, by February 6th, in the Parish Office. Come and join us... and maybe make this an early Valentine’s gift for your spouse!

Counseling can be very helpful to couples experiencing significant stress and difficulty in their marriage. It can be a great source of light and grace for a struggling couple. Catholic Social Services of Oakland County has an office here on our parish grounds and offers professional counseling services with skilled therapists. You can reach Catholic Social Services at 248.666.8870 to find about more about their counseling services. If you have other questions about sources of help for married couples, call Fr. Mike or Kathy Hasty at the Parish Office at 248.693.0440.

For couples who are severely troubled and/or contemplating separation or divorce, the Retrouvaille ministry can help. Retrouvaille is a program that helps couples “put the pieces back together and rebuild loving relationships.” It involves a weekend program and some follow-up sessions, and it is highly effective with troubled marriages. In the words of one participant, “Our weekend was a miracle. We got our marriage back on track by using our new tools.” For information about Retrouvaille, call 1.800.470.2230 or visit www.retrouvaille.info.

Learn how to prevent or achieve pregnancy by using a safe, effective, inexpensive, and morally acceptable method approved by the Church. The NFP method is based on observation of the naturally occurring signs and symptoms during a woman’s cycle, and can be easily learned by couples. Many couples who practice NFP find that it enhances the bond between them and deepens their unity and intimacy as a couple. NFP also upholds Gospel values: “NFP reflects the dignity of the human person within the context of marriage and family life, promotes openness to life, and recognizes the value of the child” (Standards of Diocesan Natural Family Planning Ministry, USCCB).

St. Joseph Church periodically offers classes for couples who want to learn the NFP method. Classes are taught by a certified NFP teacher. For further information or to find out when the next class is, call the parish office at 248.693.0440.