CHARLOTTE AND ARDEN — Couples gathered for the 7th annual “Together in Holiness” marriage enrichment conference Nov. 22, which was held at St. Barnabas Church in Arden and St. Ann in Charlotte.
The retreat, themed “Courageous Hope in Marriage and Family,” presented an opportunity for 66 couples to celebrate their vocation while meeting others who share their faith and are walking a similar path.
“This annual conference is a great event for couples to develop a holier marriage by learning from one another and hearing from a variety of speakers,” said Brendan Dudley, marriage preparation and enrichment coordinator for the diocese. The event was organized by the Saint John Paul II Foundation in conjunction with the diocese’s Family Life Office.
Couples from all different stages of married life came together. Some were engaged, others newlyweds, all the way up to couples who have been married for 53 years, Dudley said.
The day featured multiple nationally recognized speakers and a spiritual boost with Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, confession and time to mingle.
Mallory Smyth, national speaker, author and podcaster, kept this year’s jubilee theme of hope center stage with her talk on “Hope Does Not Disappoint: A Firm Foundation for Marriage and the Family.” Greg Shutte, a licensed independent social worker and senior director of Marriage Works! Ohio, discussed the family being a beacon of hope for others.
Dr. Mario Sacasa, a licensed marriage and family therapist with a Charlotte practice, delivered his presentation, “In Good Times and In Bad.”
As Dudley explained, the speakers help reinforce the idea that “we can grow in the virtue of hope, and trusting in God, our families can become stronger and can shine the light of the Gospel to other families.”
“The conference is a great springboard for parishes to offer a variety of marriage enrichment activities throughout the year,” he said. “That can take a number of forms, and our staff in the
Family Life Office looks forward to consulting with parishes about how to develop and implement marriage enrichment opportunities.”
— Lisa M. Geraci
