Posts Tagged ‘Love & Relationships’
Forever Love: Ricardo Medina
Ricardo Medina understands the complexity of culture. In Houston and Galveston, with its 1.7 million Catholics, he knows that, even with countless cultures to minister to, an understanding of the love of Christ binds us together as a universal Church body.
In this final conversation of the bonus interview series of the Marriage Catechumenate Summit, we focus on the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. Darnell Miller, Creative Director of MAX Studios, sits down with Ricardo Medina, Director of the Office of Family Life for the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. They discuss the vast number of cultural groups in Houston, how Ricardo believes that simple works of mercy will engage people in Church life more profoundly, and the value of family life as the place where faith becomes real.
This interview is bonus content from the Marriage Catechumenate Summit that took place at Circle Lake Retreat Center near Houston, Texas in June 2023. This continues a series of interviews with Catholic marriage experts in North America who attended the summit. A mini-documentary of the summit will be released at the end of the interview series.
Forever Love: Fr. Paul Hartmann
We have a plan, but let's divert from the plan - thoughtfully and with intention. Fr. Paul Hartmann encourages people to use a plan or program as a foundation - from there, allow the Holy Spirit to help welcome and engage people however fitting to their situation.
In this conversation, Fr. Paul Hartmann, Associate General Secretary of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and priest in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, sits down with Bridget Richardson, Executive Producer of MAX Studios at University of St. Thomas-Houston, to discuss the Marriage Catechumenate Summit. A Catholic canon lawyer, Fr. Paul expresses his unique vantage point in attending the summit and how Catholic Christians should embrace the both/and of ministry work. Fr. Paul, who creates programs at the USCCB, tells people to use a program as a framework for adaption.
Fr. Paul gave the closing keynote for the summit.
This interview is bonus content from the Marriage Catechumenate Summit that took place at Circle Lake Retreat Center near Houston, Texas in June 2023. This continues a series of interviews with Catholic marriage experts in North America who attended the summit. A mini-documentary of the summit will be released at the end of the interview series.
Rev. Paul B.R. Hartmann | U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
Father Paul Hartmann Named New Associate General Secretary of U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
Forever Love: Deacon Jim and Christy Wright
Deacon Jim and Christy Wright have been forming married couples for a long time. They know that engaging couples spiritually in the life of the church is the only way to make them feel like they belong.
In this short interview, Deacon Jim and Christy share their hopes for the Marriage Catechumenate Summit. They talk about why it's important that we welcome newly engaged and married couples into the church. They were also judges on the Shark Tank - style pitch session the conference attendees competed in, so they tell how they chose the winning team.
This interview is bonus content from the Marriage Catechumenate Summit that took place at Circle Lake Retreat Center near Houston, Texas in June 2023. This continues a series of interviews with Catholic marriage experts in North America who attended the summit. A mini-documentary of the summit will be released at the end of the interview series.
Christ the Redeemer Catholic Church
Forever Love: Dr. Daniel and Bethany Meola
Recognizing the baggage you bring into a marriage is huge. Healing those wounds is, as Dr. Daniel Meola says, part of the good life.
In this conversation, MAX Studios Executive Producer Bridget Richardson sits down with Dr. Daniel and Bethany Meola, co-founders of Life-Giving Wounds. Their ministry helps young adults and adults with divorced and separated parents give voice to their pain and find transformative healing in Christ. They discuss the ministry and how they work with people to begin healing the wounds of parental divorce or separation, they share their own experiences with this, and they talk about their hope of personalizing the marriage preparation process so that it speaks directly to the difficulties of each couple.
One of the longer conversations in the interview series, the Meola's ministry speaks directly to repairing the brokenness of marriage that people have seen in their life, and using that healed pain to solidify marriages and families with the mercy of Christ. If you know someone who has experienced this (or you yourself have gone through parental divorce or separation) this conversation is for you.
This interview is bonus content from the Marriage Catechumenate Summit that took place at Circle Lake Retreat Center near Houston, Texas in June 2023. This continues a series of interviews with Catholic marriage experts in North America who attended the summit. A mini-documentary of the summit will be released at the end of the interview series.
Forever Love: Dr. Ellen Roderick
Expression of your Catholic faith in Canada is very different from the United States. Dr. Ellen Roderick and her team meet these opportunities for evangelization with openness, hospitality and love.
In this interview, MAX Studios Creative Director Darnell Miller sits down with Dr. Ellen Roderick, Co-Director of the Diocesan Centre for Marriage, Life and Family in the Archdiocese of Montreal in Canada. Dr. Roderick talks about the main differences in the Catholic landscape in Montreal and the U.S., how she and her team try to evangelization by being a welcoming presence to engaged couples, and how refreshing it was to meet other Catholic leaders in the marriage and family space at the Marriage Catechumenate Summit. Dr. Roderick also imparts how teaching the foundations of Christianity in marriage preparation is beneficial to couples wanting to understand more deeply about their Catholic faith.
This interview is bonus content from the Marriage Catechumenate Summit that took place at Circle Lake Retreat Center near Houston, Texas in June 2023. This continues a series of interviews with Catholic marriage experts in North America who attended the summit. A mini-documentary of the summit will be released at the end of the interview series.
Diocesan Centre for Marriage, Life and Family at the Archdiocese of Montreal
Forever Love: Michael and Deanna Johnston
Diving into specific areas where marriage and family leaders can help newly married couples is very exciting for Deanna Johnston.
In this short interview, we meet Michael and Deanna Johnston from Tyler, Texas. Deanna is the Director of Family Life for the Diocese of Tyler and was one of the judges on the Shark Tank - style pitch session the conference attendees competed in. Deanna shares her gratefulness for the conference attendees and her hopes for the future of marriage prep.
This interview is bonus content from the Marriage Catechumenate Summit that took place at Circle Lake Retreat Center near Houston, Texas in June 2023. This continues a series of interviews with Catholic marriage experts in North America who attended the summit. A mini-documentary of the summit will be released at the end of the interview series.
Department of Family Life | Diocese of Tyler
Couple meets pope on honeymoon, finds joy in their theology careers
Forever Love: Fr. Victor Perez
Fr. Victor Perez's best dating advice - no matter the circumstances, love like Jesus Christ.
In this conversation, Darnell Miller, Creative Director of MAX Studios at University of St. Thomas-Houston, sits down with Fr. Victor Perez, Pastor of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Houston to talk about his parish. They discuss the unique cultures at St. Joseph and how they integrate marriage preparation and formation into everything they do. With a large young adult population who call St. Joseph home, Fr. Victor shares some thoughts on what he's seen with regard to dating and marriage.
Fr. Victor was a featured speaker at the Marriage Catechumenate Summit.
This interview is bonus content from the Marriage Catechumenate Summit that took place at Circle Lake Retreat Center near Houston, Texas in June 2023. This continues a series of interviews with Catholic marriage experts in North America who attended the summit. A mini-documentary of the summit will be released at the end of the interview series.
Forever Love: Jake Samour
If you've experienced the gift of padrinos and madrinas, you'll enjoy this conversation.
Jake Samour, Director of the Office of Marriage and Family Life in the Diocese of Wichita, Kansas, talks with Darnell Miller, Creative Director of MAX Studios at University of St. Thomas-Houston about his experience being mentored by others and leading people in marriage ministry.
Originally from El Salvador, Jake shares how the richness of Hispanic culture in the U.S. is already vibrant with Catholic tradition, but many faithful Catholics need to overcome "Juan Diego Syndrome" and recognize their call to lead. They also discuss Jake's reflections on meeting his wife and how he pays forward the mentorship he received from other people in the Church.
This interview is bonus content from the Marriage Catechumenate Summit that took place at Circle Lake Retreat Center near Houston, Texas in June 2023. This continues a series of interviews with Catholic marriage experts in North America who attended the summit. A mini-documentary of the summit will be released at the end of the interview series.
Marriage and Family | Diocese of Wichita, Kansas
Forever Love: Sr. John Mary Sullivan
Sr. John Mary Sullivan witnessed the fullness of lived vocation through the marriage of her parents. It was their loving example that spurred in her a desire for religious life.
In this interview from the Marriage Catechumenate Summit in Houston, Texas, Darnell Miller, Creative Director of MAX Studios, sits down with Sr. John Mary Sullivan, Associate Director of Ministries and Outreach with the Archdiocese of Vancouver. They discuss the importance of accompaniment after couples are married and how the church can better assist couples in navigating that vocational call. Sr. John Mary also shares her vocation story and why it's important to leave the summit with practical steps to take home to her Archdiocese in Canada.
This interview is bonus content from the Marriage Catechumenate Summit that took place at Circle Lake Retreat Center near Houston, Texas in June 2023. This continues a series of interviews with Catholic marriage experts in North America who attended the summit. A mini-documentary of the summit will be released at the end of the interview series.
Forever Love: Bishop Italo Dell’Oro
Bishop Italo Dell'Oro knows that the diversity of Houston makes it a premiere place to have thoughtful dialogue. In this short interview, Bishop Italo shares why Houston is the perfect place to host the Marriage Catechumenate Summit.
This interview is bonus content from the Marriage Catechumenate Summit that took place at Circle Lake Retreat Center near Houston, Texas in June 2023. This continues a series of interviews with Catholic marriage experts in North America who attended the summit. A mini-documentary of the summit will be released at the end of the interview series.