By Miramon Nuevo
The Diocese began to sow the seeds of a new statewide initiative to promote and highlight marriage and family, “Radiate Love,” with a workshop at the Diocesan Pastoral Center February 17-18.
“There’s an urgent need for churches to adopt new strategies to restore marriage and improve fatherhood,” said Mario Martinez, Director of the Diocesan Office of Marriage and Family Life. “Healthy marriage is a lifetime commitment that requires continuous effort, communication and mutual support.”
Among Catholics in California, Pew Research Center (PRC) data shows that only 48% are married, 23% are never married, 12 % are separated, 11% are living with divorced partner, and 7% are widowed. An alarming 56% of Californians aged 18 and above who have identified as Catholics expressed no interest in having their relationships sacramentalized.
The February workshop drew 11 married couples who shared with one another the joys and challenges of Catholic matrimony, and strategies for evangelezing the faithful around this pivotal sacrament.
“Marriage is about 2 givers and 2 forgivers,” said Deacon Ernest Lara. “The hardest challenge among couples nowadays is not to get married, but to stay married amidst of and through it all. How much is Jesus Christ a real Person and Presence in your marriage? Do you pray together?”
The workshop also addresses healing measures for Catholics who have dealt with the pain of a failed marriage.
“Going through a divorce is a very, very horrible thing to go through and I wouldn’t wish that even to my worst enemy,” Will Martinez said. “Although there’s no divorce in the Catholic Church, we have to face the reality that divorce does happen. This workshop helps couples with the tools they need so they will not suffer what we’ve suffered.”
Will and his wife Veronica, have been happily married for 17 years and are actively serving their parish.
Father Clarence Saldua, MS, administrator of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Montclair see a connection between “Radiate Love” and another prominent campaign in the Catholic world, the Eucharistic Revival.
“Similar to the crisis in belief in the Real Presence in the Eucharist, there is a lack of understanding in the significance of the meaning of marriage,” he said. “In our technocratic age, it becomes increasingly difficult to be present for another person, even those whom we love. We have families made up of autonomous individuals who are ‘alone together.’ “
Martinez and his team firmly believe that Radiate Love, an initiative of the California Catholic Conference of Bishops (CCC) can be an effective remedy to most marital woes—if genuinely embraced and given a chance.
In the coming weeks, Radiate Love will replicate the workshop in all 6 vicariates, recruiting couples who will help promote parish-based marriage enrichment ministries and will be distributing monthly catechesis beginning in June.
Miramon Nuevo is a freelance writer and a parishioner of Our Lady of Lourdes, Montclair.