Holy Hour for Marriage

Today marks the launch of the National Marriage Week USA collaborative effort. NMWUSA "from February 7th to 14th every year — is a collaborative effort to encourage many diverse groups to strengthen individual marriages, reduce the divorce rate, and build a stronger marriage culture, which in turn helps curtail poverty and benefits children. Together we can make more impact than working alone." Visit the NMWUSA website for recommended reading, fun freebies, marriage tips and more.

World Marriage Day, sponsored by Worldwide Marriage Encounter, is celebrated annually on the 2nd Sunday of February, and "honors husband and wife as the foundation of the family, the basic unit of society. It salutes the beauty of their faithfulness, sacrifice and joy in daily married life."  WWME recently announced the national winners of the 2013 Longest Married Couple Project are John and Ann Betar of Fairfield, CT. They have been married 80 years as of Nov. 25, 2012.  Read more about the Betar's on the WWME website.

Holy Hour for Marriage
Friday, February 8th at 7:00 PM - Please join us at St. John the Evangelist Church, 10701 Olcott Avenue in St. John, for a Holy Hour for Marriage.  SJE's Catholic Family Institute schedules the Holy Hour featuring adoration and benediction each year to coincide with NMWUSA and World Marriage Day. Father Maletta will lead us in prayer.  All are welcome.  Please join us and invite your friends. Couples and families with children are especially encouraged to participate.

Marriage-Building Sunday
Those celebrating an anniversary in February will receive a special blessing at all weekend Masses on February 9th and 10th as part of the ongoing Marriage-Building Parish Initiative at SJE.  Father Maletta will also give a his annual homily on marriage this weekend.  To listen to Father Maletta's 2011 and 2012 World Marriage Day homilies, visit his homilies archives.