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Seminario
Matrimonio en Cristo
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Dateline: Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, Portland, Oregon, February 27, 2022.
Through the efforts of many people and a process that began in 2019, a pilot of Matrimonio en Cristo, the Spanish version of the Marriage in Christ seminar, took place last month at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church.
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Pictured above are the couples who began this process in March of 2020. At that time, the lead couple, José-Martin & Jackeline Martinez, were presenting the weekly episodes in person. However, the seminar had to be suspended the second week due to the pandemic. Seminario Matrimonio en Cristo was put on hold.
In the fall of 2020, Joel Kibler, who was then president of the Marriage in Christ executive board, asked Fran Willard to lead the charge in creating videos for the Spanish translation. The Community Foundation of Minnesota provided a grant, and married couple Francisco Martinez and Maricruz Hernandez agreed to be the host couple in the videos. (Read about Francisco & Maricruz in Bright Spots, July 2021.)
Fast forward to the fall of 2021, when we had completed the filming of the five weekly episodes. The Holy Redeemer parish MEC team, led by Father Pat Neary C.S.C.; Mrs. Carmen Salvador, leader of Hispanic Ministry; Jim & Gina Kadera, regional MIC mentor couple; José-Martin & Jackeline Martinez, began meeting to review the episode videos and written material.
On Sunday, February 27, 2022, Seminario Matrimonio en Cristo began!
The seminar was a huge success!
Participants built friendships within their marriages, friendships within the whole group, and a deeper love and knowledge of God and the Holy Spirit!
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One participant said, "I can now look my husband in the eyes and talk about difficult things."
Another participant said, "All married couples in the parish should go through this seminar"--and agreed, with her spouse, to be the next host couple!
The team is looking forward enthusiastically to offering Seminario Matrimonio en Cristo a second time.
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Matrimonio en Cristo promotional video
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Listen to Francisco & Marticruz's
invitation to the seminar.
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Our Hope is in the Resurrection!
It is appropriate that we conclude the Old Testament portion of our Bible Study for Married Couples with a set of reflections on the resurrection in the Easter season. Sometimes we are so familiar with the story that we don’t pause to examine or reflect on how truly radical and revolutionary is the claim that He is risen, and the tomb is empty!
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We begin with what precisely the Scriptures meant by “resurrection.” It did not mean simple resuscitation of a dead person or some sort of spiritual, disembodied, ghostly existence. Rather, resurrection meant that our dead physical bodies would no longer be dead. We would come out of our tombs; our bodies would be transformed, and we would never die again. The Jews at the time of Jesus believed that the general resurrection for all the righteous would happen at the end of the present evil age. God would act in a definitive way to set the world to rights. He would defeat his enemies, establish his kingdom, and transform all of creation.
Easter Blessings,
Bill Wacker
Director Emeritus
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Conversation Starters and Loving Actions for you! |
If you could choose to create a constellation, what shape would it reflect?
Do I presume upon the mercy of God?
What does it mean to be a teachable person?
What does "new creation" mean to you?
What would you have told the risen Jesus if you were one of the two disciples walking with him on the road to Emmaus?
What animals feed upon your garden?
Are you awake in Christ or asleep in yourself?
What is meant by “our labor is not in vain”?
How shall we together grow in our knowledge of God?
Are you searching for your bus ticket to heaven?
Have a date at a conservatory or garden center.
Go for a walk in a gentle rain. Splash in a puddle! Try singing in the rain!
Make sock puppets and put on a puppet show.
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Relax on a blanket in a park and watch for cloud formations.
Plant a tree.
Take golf lessons together.
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Is there an in-person Marriage in Christ seminar at your place of worship in the future?
Contact Fran on how you can host an in-person seminar in your neighborhood, your place of worship, or any group setting.
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Over 1400 couples have registered for the At Home seminar from across the United States and several other countries. Please share your Marriage in Christ story and invite others to strengthen their marriage by building a relationship with God and with their spouse, and by inviting the Holy Spirit into their lives. |
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Now available!
Series II of Conversation Starters & Loving Actions
Order a box (either series I or series II) today from the Marriage in Christ store with a donation of $15 plus shipping.
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Follow Marriage in Christ |
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Come, Holy Spirit, inspire our hearts; inspire couples to desire your presence in their life, marriage, & family. Draw them to you. May we be a vehicle to reveal you to them. |
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