At this time of year, catechetical leaders communicate many details about the upcoming year to their community of catechists, such as grade assignments, class lists, and program procedures. This type of information is important to share with catechists and teachers. There is, however, a major event that should be highlighted within our entire faith community: Catechetical Sunday, which is celebrated on the third Sunday in September.

On this day, parishes and schools commission those members of their faith communities who actively serve in the ministry of catechesis. Catechists respond to the call of the Holy Spirit to serve the Church by echoing God’s Word and the Church’s teachings to children, young people, and adults who participate in the faith formation process of their parish. Catechists nurture people’s growing relationship with Jesus Christ, and our Church considers this service to be a vocation. It is vital that catechists are recognized, commissioned, and thanked publicly on Catechetical Sunday so the entire faith community can give witness and support to their calling. Catechetical Sunday also offers pastoral leaders an opportunity to emphasize the role that each baptized person holds to be witnesses to the Gospel as disciples of Jesus Christ.

After the celebration of this ministry on the third Sunday of September, an ongoing process of formation for catechists should be in place within our parish and school communities, for both new and seasoned catechists. It is important for catechetical leaders to assess the unique needs of the catechists serving in their particular setting in order to develop a well-balanced, engaging, and appropriate plan for formation. Providing catechists with options for topics, dates, and times of gatherings can lead to a higher level of participation from the catechist community. Here is a checklist of some areas that can be integrated into an effective process:

• Workshops that address the religion curriculum, offering approaches for effective methodology and updates in theology
• Days or evenings of reflection so catechists can reflect on their faith journey and their call to discipleship
• Online catechist certification courses that can meet the needs of busy catechists
• Community gatherings for catechists and their families, such as appreciation suppers, family picnics or brunch
• A resource display where creative ideas for use in the classroom can be shared
• Grade level planning meetings so catechists can swap ideas and strategies that work with a particular age group
• Pairing together a seasoned catechist with a new catechist, which can lead to growth in faith between both partners
• Provide information about diocesan sponsored congresses and workshops

Remember that prayer and hospitality are essential elements whenever catechists gather together.

Supporting catechists by offering an ongoing formative process can help build a community of committed, confident, and capable catechists who are passionate about sharing their faith as disciples of Jesus Christ.

Anita Foley is a senior sales representative for RCL Benziger, serving the Catholic community of the Archdiocese of Newark and the Dioceses of Metuchen and Paterson, New Jersey.

Anita holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and a Master’s in Religious Education from Seton Hall University. She has also attended Immaculate Conception Seminary, South Orange for continuing post-graduate education and formation. Before joining RCL Benziger, Anita taught in Catholic elementary and high schools, served in ministry in the Archdiocese of Newark, in parish ministry as a Director of Religious Education, Pre-K Religious Education Program Coordinator, and Director of RCIA and Adult Faith Formation. Articles written by Anita have been published in “Today’s Parish”, “Catechist Magazine”, and “Word on Worship”. She is currently a workshop and retreat facilitator, and serves a member of the Liturgical Commission of the Archdiocese of Newark.

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Un domingo, en medio de los preparativos para la catequesis, unos padres de familia se acercaron y compartieron conmigo lo difícil que era llevar a sus hijos a la catequesis. Preguntaron: "¿Cómo podemos animarlos?".

Cuando el doctor confirmó que esperábamos nuestro primer hijo, no solamente me instruyó acerca de cómo cuidar mi cuerpo durante el embarazo comiendo sanamente y tomando vitaminas, sino que también nos dijo que estábamos aceptando la labor más difícil que existe: criar seres humanos con buenos valores, firmes en su fe y conscientes de que fueron creados para glorificar a Dios. ¡No miento al decir que sentí ansiedad de poder llevar adelante tal misión!

No somos de ninguna manera una familia perfecta ya que entre mi esposo y yo y nuestros 3 hijos hemos vivido enojos, desacuerdos, llantos, etc. Pero nunca ha dejado de existir entre nosotros la comunicación y la oración. En una sociedad que nos incita a que vivamos para darnos todo el placer que podamos y que nada es pecado si te hace sentir bien; en un mundo en que dos personas se casan con la idea de que si la unión no funciona entonces existe el divorcio; tengo completa seguridad en que las raíces de fe y buenos valores están bien sembradas en nuestros hijos. Cuando una de nuestras hijas tenía 7 años llegó a casa muy triste pues su mejor amiga le había hablado del divorcio de sus padres. Dialogamos y oramos por su amiga. Durante la cena mi hija nos presentó un documento hecho con su puño y letra para que lo firmáramos asegurándole que jamás nos íbamos a divorciar. Aun a su tierna edad ella sabía lo que era un compromiso y nuestra firma selló en su mente el amor que existía entre sus padres.

Una universidad local hizo una encuesta y encontró que el 87% de los estudiantes prefieren vivir en unión libre y no procrear hijos. Gran parte de esta generación milenaria se crió delante de un televisor, juegos de video o pasando horas en frente de una computadora y por eso tal vez desconocen la belleza de interactuar en familia. Mis hijos no son perfectos pero respetan la dignidad de otros y desean tener hijos para darles la felicidad que ellos vivieron de niños y aunque son jóvenes adultos nos piden oración cuando tienen un dilema o necesitan tomar una decisión importante. Ser una familia con Cristo en el centro crea moralidad y conciencia. Martin Luther King Jr. una vez dijo: “La oscuridad no puede expulsar a la oscuridad: sólo la luz puede hacer eso”. Cristo es la luz que quiere brillar en nuestras familias y solamente debemos renovar nuestra alianza con Él.

Marta McGlade nació en Nueva York pero vive en el estado de Georgia con su esposo y sus hijos. Por 13 años dirigió la formación de fe para la comunidad hispana en su parroquia. Al momento se dedica a dar charlas y retiros tanto en inglés como en español.

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We were that “Church family.” House decorated for liturgical seasons, seven children, family service projects, music lessons, chore charts, family meetings and retreats, on our third copy of Prayers for the Domestic Church.

We loved and celebrated the sacraments that nourished our family life. We imagined we could handle whatever came our way by transforming obstacles into achievements. We had the plan and followed it: Work and do our part. Hope for the best and share hope with others. Pray that God would guide and bless our efforts. Why did we think vulnerability and suffering would not be part of our life story?

We were slow to realize the extent of our son’s illness. Early-onset schizophrenia is rare. Yet the challenges presented by his escalating illness gradually took over our family life. We read books and sought help everywhere.

Despite all our efforts, our son's condition worsened, and hospitalizations and medications were required. He was admitted to a juvenile residential facility for severe mental illness. We were happy for the respite but longed to have him home with us.

"He can't come home," stated his doctor. "You have to think of your other children and your little girl. She has grown up with this chaos." At that moment, the contagious quality of his disease was laid bare. Indeed, three of our children have been diagnosed with PTSD as a result of their brother's psychotic episodes and expressions of paranoid delusions and hallucinations.

The plan we had long been using, “Work – Hope – Pray,” was not working. We were in a new and unexpected place, unsure of where to turn. The words of Simon Peter became our anchor: “Lord, to whom shall we go?” (John 6:68).

The surprising answer was a change in the order of our plan.

Pray – Take our joys, gratitude, fears, and pain to God and trust that God is in control in ways we are not. We now make time to read Scripture, reflect, listen, and share the deepest yearnings of our hearts with the Lord.

Hope – Our prayer helped us to have the courage to hope for that which is unseen and invisible. Hope is an act of imagination and courage, allowing us to see beyond what is and to see with our inner eye what might and what ought to be. Christian hope guided us into that place where we had not yet been, and into becoming the persons we have not yet become.

Work – Our prayer and hope informs and directs our work in a way it had not before. Moral clarity requires that when you have the tools available to lessen the suffering of others that you must take action to do so.

There are still tremendous needs for our son and all who suffer from mental illness. Rooted in prayer and anchored in hope, we work together to do God’s work on behalf of all who suffer.

Greg "Dobie" Moser, D. Min, is the Executive Director, Youth and Young Adult Ministry and CYO in the Diocese of Cleveland. He holds an MA in Family Systems Counseling and his doctoral work focused on leadership development within the family. He and his wife, Lisa, are proud parents of seven children.

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Like other dutiful and thoughtful dads and moms on the road, I frequently returned from trips with treats for our children. When they were young, these gifts were expected. It was what they asked about as soon as I arrived home. Often their interest was stated in an almost formulaic question: What did you bring us?

There were good reasons behind their desire for a souvenir. Besides self-interest, they felt if I truly loved and missed them (which I did), I would give them something that showed it. Love without some tangible sign seemed unreal to them. Paraphrasing a Broadway song, if you say that you love me, show me.

They were right, of course. Genuine love is creative. It is also productive and generative. It makes a difference. It is why St. John Paul II called the family “a community of love.” Papal teachings often call the family “a school of love.” It is hopefully where all of us first experience genuine love, Christian altruistic love, a love that deepens our lives.

As Christians, we know everything that exists, from the universe to our personal existence, can be traced back to an ultimate source: God’s love. God’s love is deeply creative. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be here – or anywhere!

Hidden in Vatican II’s wonderful words on marriage and family life (The Church in the Modern World, paragraphs 47-52) we find, “Marriage and married love are by nature ordered to the procreation and education of children.” That single sentence was carefully constructed by a special committee of the council and not without some very serious discussion.

To grasp the impact of this sentence, we have to recall how this same idea was stated in earlier church documents. Basically it was this: Children are the result of the sexual union of husband and wife. The new conciliar teaching replaced “sexual union” with the phrase “married love.” This pointed to a much more complete, more Christian understanding of procreation. Basically, the council stated that at the source of new life is not only the joining of bodies, but an enactment of human love. The love that exists between husband and wife is holy, sanctifying and creative, and leads to the creation of new life.

Deep down, this pattern of love generating life mirrors the way God loves. God’s love is essentially fertile and fruitful. And as created in Gods image, so too is all human love. All genuine acts of human love, including those in marriage and family life, contribute to God’s good creation, now and forever.

David M. Thomas has been a leader in Catholic Family Ministry for many years. He holds a Ph. D. in Systematic and Historical Theology from the University of Notre Dame. He has served as a consultant to the U.S. Bishops’ Committee on Marriage and Family Life and as a Peritus to the U.S. Bishops, World Synod on Family in 1980. He currently serves as Theological consultant to the Bishops of England and Wales, Committee on Marriage and Family. He served as General Editor for the revision of the RCL Benziger’s Family Life Program.

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Un domingo, en medio de los preparativos para la catequesis, unos padres de familia se acercaron y compartieron conmigo lo difícil que era llevar a sus hijos a la catequesis. Preguntaron: "¿Cómo podemos animarlos?".

Cuánto nos ama Dios que nos ha regalado el privilegio de participar en la misión salvífica del mundo, y nos ha hecho co-creadores en la historia de la humanidad. Nos ha dado la posibilidad de crear el futuro. Y es “porque Dios nos amó primero que nosotros podemos amar”, (1 Jn 4,19) y es porque Él nos dio la vida, que vida podemos dar.

Un ejemplo de este amor ha sido el reflejo del amor de Dios en el matrimonio de mis padres. Desde mis primeros recuerdos el centro de nuestro hogar siempre fue Dios. Mis padres, a pesar de los “sube y bajas” de la vida, se mantuvieron firmes en la fe, el amor, y la confianza en Dios. Cada momento de alegría o tristeza, aprovecharon para enseñarnos a mí y a mis hermanos que Dios está con nosotros y Cristo es “el Camino, la Verdad y la Vida” (Jn 14, 6). Cada noche rezaban con nosotros y cada semana teníamos una reunión familiar para orar y reflexionar acerca de las decisiones tomadas a diario, donde muchas veces fallábamos en ser cristianos; como cuando nos peleábamos, o a veces éramos envidiosos o perezosos, o simplemente desobedientes. La respuesta de mis padres a nuestras faltas siempre fue de una disciplina enraizada en el amor, la paciencia y el perdón incondicional. En mis papás, logré ver el significado de la libertad y de la dignidad humana ya que siempre me inculcaron que la libertad viene con responsabilidad y que cada hijo de Dios debe ser tratado con la dignidad que Dios nos regala desde la concepción. Mis padres sembraron la fe en mí y en mis hermanos, y hoy, gracias a su “sí” al Señor podemos ver los frutos en nuestro propio caminar y en que hemos encontrado nuestra vocación al matrimonio.

En un mundo que nos vende una libertad falsa donde la dignidad del ser humano es despreciada, es importante que al igual que mis padres, hagamos nuestra parte en la misión salvífica del mundo. En especial, para aquellos que estén en contacto con los niños es esencial que tengan presente en cada momento lo que nos pide Jesús, “dejen que los niños vengan a mí” (Mt 19,14). Respondiendo al llamado de Dios, necesitamos estar bien formados e instruidos en nuestra fe, pero sobre todo reflejar lo que predicamos. De esa manera podremos nutrir el “eslabón” de la cadena de la fe que son nuestros hijos que después serán padres, abuelos etc. También, necesitamos estar actualizados en los cambios tecnológicos y los medios sociales para educar a nuestros hijos en cómo usarlos. Como nos dice Gaudium et spes “los cónyuges saben que son cooperadores del amor de Dios Creador… Por eso, con responsabilidad humana y cristiana cumplirán su misión y con dócil reverencia hacia Dios se esforzarán ambos, de común acuerdo y común esfuerzo, por formarse un juicio recto, atendiendo tanto a su propio bien personal como al bien de los hijos, ya nacidos o todavía por venir, discerniendo las circunstancias de los tiempos y del estado de vida tanto materiales como espirituales, y, finalmente, teniendo en cuenta el bien de la comunidad familiar, de la sociedad temporal y de la propia Iglesia”.

Artista y cantautora Católica, JoEmma desde pequeña manifestó su amor por Dios, la música y el canto. Actualmente, JoEmma sirve como coordinadora del ministerio de jóvenes y jóvenes adultos en la parroquia de San Gregorio Magno en la Arquidiócesis de Miami.

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As we begin the new academic year, it is worth our while to know what issues parents think are most problematic. According to Elisabeth Wilkins, editor of Empowering Parents, the top five concerns of parents as the school year approaches are: (1) Unmotivated children; (2) Paying attention and behaving in class; (3) How to get kids out of bed in the morning; (4) Homework problems - teaching kids to bring it home, do it, hand it in on time, and not hate it; (5) Bullying behavior - from both sides of the fence - as victim or bully.

Parents play an essential role in the development of their children’s faith and life. Looking for ways to collaborate with them to addressing their concerns provides an excellent way to begin the school year. As St. John Paul II taught in Familiaris Consortio (no.17), every “family has the mission to guard, reveal and communicate love.” One of the significant challenges every teacher and catechist has is encouraging and supporting families in their important role.

Here are a few suggestions you can use to assist families:

• Invite families to pray together each day and eat meals together as often as possible. When they gather together for meals, suggest that each person bring their needs to the table to share in prayer. Create a special prayer box that can be placed on a table at home or in the classroom for specific prayer requests
• Encourage parents to give positive messages to their children each day. The best times for these conversations are in the morning, when parents and children return home from school or work, at meal times, and in the evening at bedtime. Little messages of encouragement, especially text messages about the positive qualities shown during the day, are very effective ways to help children grow in character and faith
• By specifically addressing parents’ concerns about bullying, teachers can provide the necessary skills parents and children need for dealing with the issue, including knowing when to get help from teachers and other trusted adults

The theme of Catechetical Sunday this year is “Safeguarding the Dignity of Every Human Person.” It is certainly a topic of interest that could spark many conversations on how we live the Gospel message in our daily lives, as well as what we can do to bring hope and joy to the world. Today’s students are frequently referred to as “Generation M” because they have never known a world without mobile devices. It would definitely be worth the time to discuss how to use these tools to live out the message in Matthew 25, for example.

Finally, Pope Francis’ letter, Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home, provides many ideas that you can use to engage students in caring for the earth. Introduce your students to the patron saint of ecology, St. Francis of Assisi, and encourage them to consider ways they can follow his love for the earth and all its creatures. Every small step taken in our classrooms can make its way into the family home to create better stewards of all.

Here’s to a wonderful academic year!

Lois DeFelice has served in the Archdiocese of Chicago for more than 40 years, primarily in liturgy and faith formation on the parish, diocesan, and national level. She is a wife, parent, and grandparent.>

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When our son was seven, I held his hand as we walked on a frozen road with his little brothers when he broke away from me and ran ahead. He was so quick, I could only watch in terror and call out, “Wait! Be careful!” By the grace of God he was safe, but it was a defining moment for me as a mother. I realized I wouldn’t be able to protect him forever.

Our children are plunging into a future where we cannot follow them. Before children let go of our hands and run off, their parents and everyone else who loves them, hope to equip them for the journey. We have so much to tell them, if they would only slow down and listen. We try to pass on the traditions of our faith, our holiday customs, our family stories, our favorite recipes, and all our hard-won lessons in life and love. Before they go, we want to give them a sense of security, yet also encourage them to wrestle with new challenges. We want to teach them to be kind, to be respectful of others, and to express themselves honestly. If it were not for the children, why would we care to make anything that lasts? Because of them, we want to build a better world, a cleaner environment, and a more welcoming Church. Before we are gone, we yearn for some assurance that they will carry our values into the next generation. It won’t be enough to just lecture them, though. We must leave them a legacy of faith, hope, and love that they have experienced in words as well as life.

More than what we say, it is how we live and the kind of people we are that makes a difference to our children. If they see that we ourselves are praying, loving, respecting, and learning, then they will be more likely to grow up that way, too.

Our son is now a father of twins, and they have given him many heart-stopping moments already, making their own mistakes, and running blithely into their own futures. I am smiling as I watch him try to keep up with them, and I know that our merciful God is also just.

Dr. Lauri Przybsyz is the Coordinator for Marriage and Family Life for the Archdiocese of Baltimore.

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Un domingo, en medio de los preparativos para la catequesis, unos padres de familia se acercaron y compartieron conmigo lo difícil que era llevar a sus hijos a la catequesis. Preguntaron: "¿Cómo podemos animarlos?".

Por ser catequista y educador estoy atento a los detalles. En una de mis observaciones me di cuenta que frecuentemente los niños vestían atuendos deportivos de Chivas, las Águilas, los CUBS, los Blackhawks, etc. En uno de los retiros que tuve con los padres abordé este tema y les pregunté: ¿Cómo desarrollan los niños afinidad por los equipos deportivos? Unánimemente los padres respondieron: "Nosotros somos los que sembramos el ardor deportivo en nuestros hijos". Insistí, ¿cómo consiguen que se inclinen por sus equipos favoritos? Ellos añadieron, "cuando nuestro equipo juega, todos nos reunimos, hacemos una convivencia y alentamos a nuestro equipo sin importar si van perdiendo o ganando". Yo exclamé: ¡BOOM! y todos quedaron atónitos y en sus rostros se leía una pregunta: ¿Qué dijimos? Yo les dije, ESO, ustedes tienen la respuesta y saben exactamente como motivarlos no solamente para que asistan a la catequesis; sino, para que también desarrollen el ardor por el sacramento para el cual se preparan. Continué y les pregunté: ¿con qué frecuencia ustedes rezan, leen la Biblia, hablan de Dios o asisten a misa? Muchos respondieron: "Gracias por hacer que la asistencia a misa sea obligatoria porque de otro modo, casi nunca asistiríamos". Yo afirmé, así es. ¿Cómo podemos pedir a los niños que participen en eventos y ritos que no son parte de nuestras vidas? Está psicológicamente comprobado que exigir a un niño que sea parte de una rutina de la cual los padres no participan podría resultar contraproducente y hasta traumatizante. Muchos se rebelan y se meten en conflictos inacabables con sus padres. Esto era y continúa siendo una realidad en nuestras comunidades y programas de catequesis.

San Juan Pablo II, en su Carta a las Familias, afirma: "Los padres son los primeros y principales educadores de sus propios hijos, y en este campo tienen incluso una competencia fundamental: son educadores por ser padres. Comparten su misión educativa con otras personas e instituciones, como la Iglesia y el Estado". En este espíritu, el sentido fundamental del matrimonio es el de ser fértil y recibir con algarabía la vida nueva. Los principios y valores de la vida que los padres comparten el uno con el otro y transmiten a sus hijos dan forma al futuro. No podemos esperar un futuro fructífero si no hemos sembrado nada bueno en el presente. Los campesinos tienen bien clara esta visión, ellos no esperan cosechar donde no han sembrado. Si compartimos con nuestros hijos con ardor la belleza, riqueza y profundidad de la Eucaristía, dentro de nuestra iglesia doméstica, nuestros hijos también desarrollarán un acercamiento y sentido a los principios y valores de la Iglesia.

Héctor Obregón-Luna vive en el estado de Illinois y se ha desempeñado como educador religioso y en la pastoral juvenil por muchos años.

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“De manera que ya no son dos, sino uno solo” (Mateo 19:6)

En la historia de la humanidad se han escrito un sinnúmero de poemas, canciones y libros sobre el amor. Hoy en día, vivimos en un mundo donde el amor conyugal se ha convertido en un simple sentimiento, pasión, atracción o romance. Sin embargo el amor entre un hombre y una mujer, el amor de una pareja, es mucho más que un sentimiento pasajero.

El amor de esposos es un compromiso, o mejor dicho, una alianza matrimonial. Una alianza es mucho más que un contrato, es un lazo que nos une hasta la eternidad. “Por eso deja el hombre a su padre y a su madre y se une a su mujer, y se hacen una sola carne” (Gn 2, 18-25). Dios nos creó compañeros de vida, para que nos complementáramos y nos ayudásemos mutuamente a alcanzar la santidad. Lastimosamente, muchos matrimonios, al caer en la monotonía del día a día, con las dificultades que se presentan, el estrés del trabajo y la crianza de los hijos, se dan por vencidos y fácilmente se olvidan de las promesas matrimoniales que hicieron el uno hacia el otro ante Dios. Es importante recalcar que el matrimonio es un compromiso diario, porque si solamente lo calificamos como sentimientos, pierde el verdadero su significado. Los sentimientos pueden ser pasajeros, pero una alianza es eterna. Vivimos en un mundo donde las cosas se han vuelto desechables: los bebés en los vientres de sus madres, los ancianos, los matrimonios, etc. En este país actualmente se debate el verdadero significado del matrimonio y nosotros como católicos cristianos no podemos quedarnos con los brazos cruzados, hemos de salir a la lucha y defensa de las verdades básicas de la fe. Nuestros hogares se deben convertir en tabernáculos, y como tanto, debemos de cuidar y defender a nuestras familias. No podemos darnos por vencidos tan fácilmente ante las dificultades y altibajos que conlleva la vida conyugal. Sólo con Cristo al centro de nuestras vidas podemos sobrellevar y superar esas nubes negras que se presentan.

Pidámosle pues al Señor que nos dé fuerza para superar las adversidades, que nos haga mejores esposas y esposos, para que podamos ser ejemplos de un amor verdadero para nuestros hijos, demostrándoles que el amor es mucho más que un sentimiento, más bien es un compromiso diario: “Yo, NN, te recibo a ti, NN, como esposo y me entrego a ti y prometo serte fiel en la prosperidad y en la adversidad, en la salud y en la enfermedad, y así amarte y respetarte todos los días de mi vida.”

Lía Salinas reside con su esposo y dos hijos en Virginia y ha sido coordinadora de catequesis en parroquias por más de 15 años, actualmente es la coordinadora de la catequesis hispana para la Arquidiócesis de Washington, DC.

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‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? - Matthew 19:5

This may seem strange, but it is a very vivid memory for me before marriage and during engagement. When we embraced, I wanted to be physically part of my fiancé. I wanted to “melt” into him. I even told him I wanted us to “melt” together. I know that sounds like romantic gush, but it was my experience.

I was so in love. I knew that marriage was part of God’s plan for me, a vocation. Even though I had some fear of not having all the necessary tools or role models teaching me how to live a healthy marriage, I knew my love to be true, beautiful and good; from God. I knew that if my marriage was of God, it had the potential to grow and endure.

My desire to “melt”, become “one flesh” with my husband, led us on a journey to form a family, a desire to have children, a need to engage with other families, a longing to create a future of hope for our children. This Journey is a participation in the Church’s desire for families that St. John Paul II expressed in Familiaris Consortio: Apostolic Exhortation on the Family. When we married we became a Domestic Church; a holy family. We were a Domestic Church from the beginning when were a family of two, and as we grew. In our desire to have children and share the Good News of Jesus’ love and forgiveness with others, we are church. When we sacrifice for each other, our children, and others, we are church. When we work to make the community in which we live a place of hope and healing for our children and our children’s children, we are church. When this desire goes beyond our own children to a desire for all children of the world, we are church. In our struggle to do what is right, even when we fail, we are a sign of Jesus’ love and forgiveness. We are church. We are holy. We witness to our children and community resilience through knowing we are loved and forgiven by Jesus.

Do you remember the desires of your courtship? Do you remember the longings and hopes of early marriage? How have these desires and longings, or how can these desires and longings, with Jesus’ love and forgiveness give you resilience in marriage? In your vocation?

Colleen has been married to husband John for 33 years; they have 5 children. She is beginning her sixth year as Director of the Family and Respect Life Office in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.

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