This month has been a profound reminder of the beauty and responsibility of our mission. From Rome to Connecticut, we’ve encountered a Church alive with hope—rooted in strong families, faithful marriages, and the witness of love lived daily.
July is always a special month for us at Witness to Love. Along with extra time with family and friends, the Church’s liturgical calendar offers powerful feast days that inspire our mission. We celebrate St. Junípero Serra (July 1) and think of the many parishes we serve in California, honor Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin (July 12) — the first canonized married couple — and Sts. Anne and Joachim (July 26), patrons of grandparents. It’s no coincidence that a month often dedicated to family time also highlights holy parents, grandparents, and missionaries. Their witness reminds us why forming strong marriages and families is so essential to renewing the Church and our communities in the here and now.
Today we celebrate St. Ignatius of Loyola who has greatly impacted how we approach prayer and discernment in our own lives and in our ministry. His writings are deeply relevant to married life, where love is lived out daily in acts of service, sacrifice, and fidelity:
"Love ought to manifest itself more by deeds than by words"
-Spiritual Exercises , no. 230
We’ve returned to the US after several fruitful meetings in Europe, including time in Rome and opportunities to connect with leaders and families who are eager to see marriage renewal in their communities. We are deeply grateful for the relationships built and the encouragement we received along the way. In addition, we made a short pilgrimage to Lourdes, bringing the intentions of our Witness to Love clergy, coordinators, coaches, and couples to our Immaculate Mother. We were particularly praying for the healing and renewal of marriages and families that we hear about from so many of you throughout the year, and we are deeply grateful for the relationships built and the encouragement we received along the way.
Preparing couples for marriage can be both challenging and a powerful chance to help them encounter Christ. The Church’s Catechumenal Pathways for Married Life offers clear guidance, and this upcoming course will provide parishes with practical tools to accompany couples in their vocation to marriage. The University of St. Thomas in Houston will begin offering a graduate course on the Marriage Catechumenate starting this August 19th.
Please view the flyer here and the FAQ here.
Your instructor will be Ximena DeBroeck, PhD, STL, MSPsy, who has been a presenter at our Marriage Catechumenate Summit for the past three years. Her insights and expertise are perfect for this course!
Each day we remain grateful for the gift of mentor couples following the path of this month's saints and we often get feedback from them sharing this with responses highlighting this gift. One of the survey questions to for mentors is, "What specifically would you say was their greatest moment of growth?" to which one responded, "When she (the bride) mentioned that she needed to go to confession and wanting to take the children to church and start teaching them about church."
Stories like this remind us why we do what we do.
After a year celebrating marriage and family through the Radiate Love Initiative, the California bishops are hosting Love IRL: A Radiate Love Marriage Summit for Ministry Leaders. This culminating event on September 26, 2025 – 9:00am to 7:00pm at Christ the Light Cathedral, Oakland, CA will equip 200 participants working with young people and families to share the beauty of marriage! Love IRL is a collaboration of the CA bishops from all 12 dioceses across California. We especially would like to invite all Witness to Love parishes and dioceses in California to participate. Space is limited.
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!