{"id":298724,"date":"2023-02-14T13:27:32","date_gmt":"2023-02-14T17:27:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dominicanewsonline.com\/news\/?p=298724"},"modified":"2023-02-25T19:17:09","modified_gmt":"2023-02-25T23:17:09","slug":"married-couples-in-dominica-urged-to-make-family-life-their-number-one-priority","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dominicanewsonline.com\/news\/homepage\/married-couples-in-dominica-urged-to-make-family-life-their-number-one-priority\/","title":{"rendered":"Married couples in Dominica urged to make family life their number one priority (with photo gallery)"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Here in Dominica, married couples have been urged to live out their marriages with joy and faith, but most importantly to prioritize their families above everything else.<\/p>\n

As Dominica joined the global and regional community in commemorating World Marriage Day (WMD) 2023 on February 12, 2023, Msgr. William John-Lewis, Delegate of the Apostolic Administrator, issued this appeal.<\/p>\n

He stated that the event, which started in 1983 and is now celebrated every second Sunday of February, is a byproduct of Worldwide Marriage Encounter (WWME), an apostolate dedicated to assisting couples in strengthening their existing marriages.<\/p>\n

The day’s major message is that the husband and wife are the cornerstone of the family and that the family is the fundamental building block of society, John-Lewis explained.<\/p>\n

Additionally, he noted that World Marriage Day \u201chonors the beauty of the conjugal covenant and nuptial faithfulness, devotion, sacrifice, commitment, and joy.\u201d<\/p>\n

He continued by saying that at a time when the Sacrament of Marriage faces such enormous challenges, the church \u201crejoices\u201d that a man and a woman can consecrate their lives to God and through their conjugal love exemplify for us the union between Christ and His Church.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn a day when Christian marriage is looked at with suspicion and the ministry of family life is weakened by a world that is characterized by an attitude of indifference, we rejoice that Christian men and women can continue to respond to the call,\u201d he asserted.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe rejoice that at a time when society often puts their faith, hope, and love to the test, they continue to strive for perfection and encourage others to do the same,\u201d the delegate added.<\/p>\n

While urging all married couples to carry out their married lives with joy and faith and make family life the biggest priority of their lives, John-Lewis went on to make a clarion call to all parishes and \u201call people of good faith\u201d to accompany the married couples every step of the way and encourage them to let their love for each other remind everyone of the love that Christ has for His Church.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy dear couples, may you continue to witness God’s eternal plan. God, who \u201ccreated them male and female.\u201d Gen 1:27b). \u201cThat is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one flesh.\u201d (Gen 2:24),\u201d he quoted.<\/p>\n

The Catholic leader continued, \u201cWe give you our blessing and commend all married couples to the protection of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and our Mother, our Lady of Lourdes.\u201d<\/p>\n

One or more married couples who had demonstrated excellence and longevity were recognized in each parish on the day.<\/p>\n

Rubert and Dorothy Casimir of the St. Alphonsus Parish are thought to be Dominica’s longest-married couple, having been together for 73 years.<\/p>\n

Notably, Worldwide Marriage Encounter (WWME) Dominica welcomed the Dominica Association of Evangelical Churches, the Anglican, Methodist, and Seventh Day Adventist Churches for the first time to participate in the celebration and observation of WMD.<\/p>\n