Imagine that it is February 14, St. Valentine’s Day, the Sunday before Lent. During the homily the deacon extols the virtues of married love. Then he says: “Now I have a special announcement for married couples. As you know, Lent is starting this coming Wednesday. Each year I encourage you to give up something as a form of penance. This year instead of giving up chocolate, or wine, I ask you to do something that may be even more difficult. Go on a date with your spouse each week, for the next 6 weeks. I am making you a deal. Every Saturday evening we will watch your children while you go on a date. We will start this coming Saturday, February 20. Be here at 7:00 PM.
In a world full of competing demands for our attention: children, work, friends, etc., time for each other is a rare commodity for most married couples. Yet, without such opportunity for staying connected spouses drift apart and marriages suffer. The strength of marriages is a concern of the Catholic Church because marriage is the heart of the family, and families are schools of love. Understanding this, parishes are developing programs to encourage couples to make time for each other.
John Bosio, author of Happy Together, the Catholic Blueprint for a Loving Marriage has developed one such program. Using the materials from his book, he and his wife, Teri, designed a program with six videos and handouts that parishes can use to encourage spouses to make time for each other. The program, called SIX DATES for Catholic Couples. This is a ready to use program. It comes with a Program Coordinator’s Guide and handouts ready to print.
The six videos inspire spouses to become aware of the gift that they are to each other as husband and wife, and of the preciousness of their relationship. The topics of the six dates are:
1) ONCE UPON A TIME
Each couple’s love story is connected to God’s love story.
2) MARRIAGE IS …
What we believe about marriage as Catholics.
3) WHAT KEEPS YOU TOGETHER?
What keeps spouses in love is the ability to see God’s image in each other.
4) WHAT ABOUT ME?
Learning to love requires overcoming selfishness. God helps us with his graces and teaches us self-giving love.
5) THE BLUEPRINT FOR LOVE
Christ’s love for the Church is the blueprint for our loving. Learning to love like Christ loves is the source of our happiness.
6) WHERE DO I FIND THE COURAGE?
Overcoming selfishness through learning to love is difficult. Prayer is the source of strength in our daily challenges. It opens us up to receive God’s graces.
The scripts for the videos are true to Catholic teachings. They received the “Imprimatur” from Most Reverend David R. Choby, Bishop, Diocese of Nashville.
To purchase the SIX DATES for Catholic Couples program, contact John Bosio at jbosio1@aol.com.
See Order Form on top of the page.