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.

Upcoming Marriage Enrichment Events:

Evening of Enrichment for Married Couples
Thursday, October 9th, 7-9 p.m. in Marian Hall

All engaged and married couples are warmly invited to join us in Marian Hall at 7 p.m. Thursday, October 9th, for an evening on “Understanding How God Made Us: Temperaments and Love Languages.” Gina and John Walker will lead us toward greater understanding as they explore with us the different temperaments and love languages that God has given us, and how we can better understand and appreciate those of our spouse. The evening will be fun, informative and interactive, as Gina and John share their warmth and wisdom with us. Come for this enjoyable evening, and learn things that can strengthen your marriage and make it even better! All marriages can benefit from this. There is no charge, and refreshments will be served. Please RSVP to the Parish Office at 248.693-0440 just so that we know how many people to expect.
Hope you can join us!

St. Valentine’s Day Dinner
Evening for Married Couples
Saturday, February 14th, 2009 at 6 p.m. in Marian Hall
Mark your calendars! Details to follow.

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Other Marriage Topics

“What have you done for your marriage today?”
This question is at the heart of an advertising campaign sponsored by the U.S. Bishops as part of the National Pastoral Initiative on Marriage. The U.S. Bishops, sensing that this is a critical time culturally for new support and new catechesis on marriage, have launched this important ad campaign. You may have seen billboards along highways featuring this question, “What have you done for your marriage today?” Or you may have seen TV spots that feature people on the street, trying to answer that question…some of whom answer with confidence, some with light-hearted humor, and some struggling to think of something and humbly realizing that they haven’t been doing much! I love how the TV spots end with the words “…brought to you by the Catholic Church.”

“What have you done for your marriage today?” is a wonderful and provocative question for all of us who are married. What have we done for our marriage today? This ad campaign reminds us that marriage needs intentional nurturing, every day, by both spouses…and that this is essential to the life of the marriage. It would be a great reflection question for us married folks at the end of each day. Try reflecting on that for a week…and see what the effect is on your own marriage!

This ad campaign is only one part of the U.S. Bishops’ effort to strengthen and support marriage through their 6-year National Pastoral Initiative on Marriage. For other dimensions of this effort, you might take a look at their website foryourmarriage.org. It’s a marvelous website sponsored by the U.S. Bishops, filled with teachings, inspirational stories, reflections, tips, and resources on marriage. There are sections devoted to “marriage tips,” “caring for your marriage,” “preparing for marriage,” “Catholic teaching on marriage” and others. You can even click on the TV spots and watch them, if you haven’t yet seen them (they’re wonderful!). It’s a modern way to evangelize, to teach, and to support married couples, using media-savvy ways of reaching people where they live ---and inviting us to the “more” that God has for us in our marriages. Take a look and see!

Help with Annulment
For those needing help with seeking an annulment of a previous marriage, please contact Fr. Mike, Fr. Anthony, Deacon Steve, or Kathy Hasty at the Parish Office.

Interested persons are also invited to an Information Evening about Annulments here at St. Joseph on Thursday, October 23rd, at 7 p.m. in Marian Hall. Canon lawyer Timothy Ferguson JCL, of the Archdiocesan Tribunal will be with us to explain the Church’s views on marriage and annulment, possible grounds for an annulment, and what’s involved in the annulment process. He will also speak about convalidation of marriages contracted outside the Church.

For more information, please call Kathy Hasty at 248.693.0440 x211.