Marriage week celebrated

President Mary McAleese is to address the subject “Marriage Matters” at theDundrum Methodist Church Centre next Wednesday February 10.

“We are honoured that President Mary and Martin McAleese will launch National Marriage Week this year,” say the organisers.  “Marriage is one of our top six major life decisions and we often take it so casually and put so little time and effort into developing and strengthening our marriage.”

Also at the launch, couples will give testimony as to how they value their own marriage and invest in it.  Alpha, Accord, Retrouville and various other organisations and denominations are involved in the event.  They work voluntarily and professionally to help build stronger marriages in Ireland. 

In promoting the 2010 Marriage week, they want to acknowledge that marriage is great and promote it in a general sense, but also to look at how can couples strengthen it and improve how they relate to each other in their own marriage.

“There is a need to invest in marriage at the moment in Ireland - it is under attack.  Secularism and people living together and not getting married are two reasons for this.  Things have changed so quickly in this country over such as short period.  It is hitting the kernel of our society,” Paddy Monaghan, National Co-Coordinator, Alpha Marriage Course. 

He explains how Alpha courses have gone from strength to strength with 120 organised in the last year as compared to 12 five years ago. 

On the National Marriage Week website, there are links to all the organisations involved and their events and activities.  On the site, seven topics will be addressed over seven days from Monday, concluding on St Valentine’s Day.  Subjects include, Building Strong Foundations, The Art of Communication, Resolving Conflict, The Power of Forgiveness, The impact of Family - Past and Present, Good Sex and Love in Action.

The organisations involved include, United Marriage Encounter, Iona Institute, Alpha Marriage Course, Retrouville, Focus on the Family, Irish Association of Christian Counselling, Accord, Marriage Encounter, Care for the Family, Nazareth Family Institute, Family Life Resources, Evangelical Alliance, Together.ie, All Hallows Pre-Marriage and Jesuit Marriage Course.

National Marriage Week events concluding on St Valentine’s Day are also held in the UK and USA with the aim of promoting marriage to society at large and highlighting its importance.  Couples are invited to spend time together, share a meal with other couples, amongst other activities during the week.

For further details: www.nationalmarriageweek.ie
To book for Wednesday: Phone 01-2369821

by Ann Marie Foley