On August 8th and 9th, couples from San Juan, Mt. Lambert and Maracas St. Joseph gathered at the St. Benet Hall, Mt. St. Benedict, for a weekend they would not forget. Hosted by the Archdiocesan Family Life Commission, the Skills for Sacramental Marriage Building marriage accompaniment sessions celebrated couples eager to invest in their relationships with God’s grace.
For many, the workshop was less about learning something new and more about seeing their marriage with fresh eyes. As one participant noted, the weekend “opened our eyes to some shortcomings that we can now work on together.” Simple, but honest feedback that seemed to have been echoed throughout the room as many other participants shared similar sentiments.
That honesty came paired with hope. Couples spoke of feeling empowered rather than discouraged, with one sharing that the weekend “broke down some barriers and helped me to believe that I am empowered to be the change that is needed.” For another couple further along in their journey, the message was direct “this has renewed my desire to be all that I need to be to make my spouse a saint.”
Communication was also a pertinent takeaway. Couples left with practical tools to work through conflict and, as one participant put it, “make things we do casually be more intentional.” Several summed up the impact simply as “lifesaving”, “timely”, “meaningful”. One discerning, unmarried participant even reflected, “I really think that I am willing to get married.”
Much of the weekend’s success came down to the openness of the instructors, praised for their warmth and vulnerability in sharing. “I really enjoyed their ability to humanize themselves and share their stories” one participant noted, while another described them as “knowledgeable, engaging, able to convey the knowledge and encourage participation”. Participants reflecting on the weekend’s marriage witness, described it as “relatable and really well put together”, “patient”, “professional” and “well prepared”.
By the weekend’s end, the mood was one of gratitude and renewal. As one participant put it plainly, it was “decisively positive – we needed this”. For the couples of San Juan, Mt Lambert and Maracas St. Joseph, the session was a reminder that marriage is a shared journey toward holiness, strengthened by God’s grace and the right tools.
Fr. Ashton Pierre was present on Saturday morning for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Intercessors and participants spent time in prayer in Eucharistic Adoration. Follow up sessions continue online once a month.
Upcoming Skills for Sacramental Marriage Building sessions are:
- October 10 & 11 (Northern Vicariate),
- October 24 & 25 (Pt. Fortin)
Please contact the Archdiocesan Family Life Commission – aflcrc.org; Email: familylife@catholictt.org; for more information and interested in registering or hosting these sessions.