National Marriage Week (Feb. 7 – 14) is an opportunity to reflect and rejoice in the beautiful gift of Life and Love given to us in the sacrament of marriage!
Single/Dating
Christian Dating 101
Saturday, February 10 at 7:00 PM
Holy Family Catholic Church parish hall
Amanda Iannotti, LMHC, will be hosting an evening workshop for singles that will discuss the current state of dating in our society, how to date in a healthy way, and how to continue to build those relationships. Amanda is a member of the Diocese of St. Augustine Catholic Therapist Network and specializes in dating with a Christian perspective. The workshop is free to attend and no registration is required.
Catholic Dating Online Conference
Hosted by SmartCatholics
Catholic Dating is a recorded, livestreamed conference for singles, engaged, and married couples. Hear stories, insights, and discover the real, thrilling meaning to romance, and how we create happily-ever-after in the real world.
The Dating Project. This excellent documentary produced by PureFlix and Paulist Productions explores the issues with the contemporary dating scene and with an “assignment” to assist.
Resources. Helpful articles, research, and presentations on dating can be found at ForYourMarriage.org and The Chastity Project.
Helpful Tools for Couples
Valentine’s At-Home Date Night Kit
Looking for a romantic way to celebrate Valentine’s Day at home? Get access to a tutorial on how to make heart-shaped ravioli and a fun and romantic activity kit to do together!
Free 5 Love Languages Quiz
Dr. Gary Chapman’s best-selling book, The 5 Love Languages, explains the different ways in which we give and expect to receive love. A couple may be very much in love, but not “communicating” or expressing that love in a way they understand or that truly fulfills and builds them up.
Couple Prayer Challenge
The Couple Prayer Challenge is a week-long commitment to live the witness of the sacrament of marriage by deepening your relationship with one another and grow in intimacy with God.
Each day of the challenge will present activities for you to choose from which will guide you through the three expressions of prayer by first living this expression through your own love for each other.
Events
The Daring Beauty of Marital Fidelity – with Bishop Erik Pohlmeier
Blessed Trinity Catholic Church
Saturday, February 11
10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Bishop Erik Pohlmeier, with Ron and Kathy Feher, present a day of inspiration and reflection for married couples that dives into the meaning of the wedding vows and explores how to courageously live out this promise of fidelity with the support of God’s grace in the sacrament. The event will be held at Blessed Trinity Catholic Church on Saturday, February 11 from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM with time for adoration and a boxed lunch provided. The cost is $35 per couple and $20 for individuals and scholarship opportunities are available.
Reviviendo la Llama del Amor
San Sebastian Catholic Church
Febrero 11
8:00 AM – 3:30 PM
El Padre Heriberto Vergara será el presentador del Retiro “Reviviendo la Llama del Amor” para todas las Parejas. Este Evento será en la Iglesia Católica de San Sebastían, 1112 St Rd. 16, St. Augustine. De 8:00 a.m. a 3:30 p.m. Habrá Desayuno y Almuerzo! Donaciones voluntarias al final serán apreciadas. Para más información comuníquese con el Padre Heriberto V. (904) 483-6513 o Martha Alers-Alers (904) 703-5772.
A Day for Couples – (Re)Build Your Marriage on the Rock
Hosted by Resurrection Catholic Church
Saturday, February 11
2:00 PM – 8:00 PM
A Day for Couples is an annual pre-marriage and marriage conference that inspires couples to more fully live out God’s plan for their marriages with uplifting presentations, quiet time together, exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Mass, and time for fellowship. Speakers this year are Deacon Jeff and Shaun Burgess with a special theatrical performance by Artist Connection Theatre.
Virtual Date Night Series
Presented by Witness to Love
Witness to Love provides a virtual date night series in English, Spanish, for military couples, as well as first responders and hospital workers. Each date night promises an enriching experience and will include a video from a dynamic couple plus reflection questions. Presenting couples will shine the light on the power of resilience, prayer, living the virtues and community /parish support. The experience will be a combination of date night/parish mission/retreat/small group. Take this time to renew and enrich your marriage while building new relationships with other couples!
World Marriage Day
Worldwide Marriage Encounter
Sunday, February 12
World Marriage Day (WMD) is celebrated on the second 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.
Retreats
Retrouvaille
Retrouvaille is a program for troubled marriages and consists of a weekend experience combined with six post-weekend sessions held on Sunday afternoons. It is designed to provide the tools to help put your marriage in order again. The next retreat is the weekend of February 17-19.
ForYourMarriage At-Home Retreat
A free, 7-day virtual retreat is provided by ForYourMarriage.org, a marriage initiative of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. The retreat theme for this year is “Marriage…One Flesh, Given and Received” and this guided experience can be done from the comfort of your own home and on your own schedule. Available in both English and Spanish.
CatholicPsych Institute. Dr. Gregory Bottaro hosts a free, online mini-marriage course through the CatholicPsych Institute.
Resources
For Your Marriage / En Español
Marriage: Unique for a Reason / En Español
U.S. Bishops’ Pastoral Letter: Love and Life in the Divine Plan
Letter to all Bishops by Archbishop Charles Chaput on National Marriage Week