This month we were honored to be be in Rome for the Jubilee of Families, Children, Grandparents and the Elderly and the Jubilee of Ecclesial Movements, Associations, and New Communities along with meetings at the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life.
Imagine our joy to be with our new Holy Father as he addresses the families of the world for the first time. There were 70,000 people from 131 countries filling the square and all the way down to the Tiber River.
These words from Pope Leo XIV's homily for the Jubilee of Families Mass truly moved us:
“Families are the cradle of the future of humanity.”
“Marriage is not an ideal but the measure of true love between a man and a woman: a love that is total, faithful and fruitful.”
The Gospel that day, from John 17, holds Christ’s prayer: “That they may be one.” This is the heart of marriage. This is the heart of family. And this unity is the hardest and holiest work in the Church today.
In his message to participants in the "Evangelizing With the Families of Today and Tomorrow: Ecclesiological and Pastoral Challenges" organized by the Dicastery for Laity, Family, and Life, the Holy Father shared that, “Many young people today… need someone to show them, especially by example, what the gift of sacramental grace really means.”
These words shared with us by the Holy Father are timely. They speak right into the mission of marriage mentoring, of walking with couples, of being living witnesses to the beauty of sacramental marriage.
Now more than ever, the Church is calling couples to rise up—not to preach perfection, but to offer presence.
Read the entire address from Pope Leo XIV here.
We’re thrilled to welcome the following parishes into the Witness to Love family:
St. Joseph, Bakersfield - Diocese of Fresno
Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Charlotte - Diocese of Burlington
St. Peter, Lincoln - Diocese of Lincoln
St. Paul's, Madison - Diocese of Madison
St. Mary Mother of the Church, Lafayette - Diocese of Lafayette
Your commitment to fostering strong, Christ-centered marriages inspires us every day!
"After the we went on the double date, meeting with our mentor couple got a lot more fun because we had spent time together and knew each other better and so the meetings seemed less rigid and more fluid...and led to better conversation. This also opened up the door... to talk about hard or awkward topics, which is...extremely beneficial because it begins to normalize those topics." - Engaged Couple from the Diocese of Lincoln
Stories like this remind us why we do what we do.
Your prayers, support, and engagement continue to make all of this possible. Thank you for being an essential part of the Witness to Love family.
In Gratitude for each of you,
with the Witness to Love Team & Board
P.S. Share this newsletter with your parish or an engaged couple to spread the joy of the Gospel!