The quarterly newsletter of the Willwoods Community Ministry.

If you or someone you know is interested in receiving Pathways, please call (504) 830-3700 to be put on the mailing list.

Vol. 5. No. 1 Spring 2008 Pathways Faith & Marriage

The faith and marriage office has been extremely busy these past few months, and looking at the fruits of the labor, God has been equally busy with us every step of the way! Between our Diocesan-wide Supper and Substance, January 12-13th retreat, and booking for upcoming retreats we feel that this ministry is truly on the move!

On the evening of Saturday, February 9th, couples from all over our archdiocese mingled over glasses of wine in a room of candlelit tables, roses, and lovely red and white linens which adorned Notre Dame Seminary’s Schulte Hall. Valentine’s Day was soon approaching and love was in the air! After Archbishop Hughes shared lovely welcoming words and shared his blessing over our guests and our meal, all were seated to enjoy a delicious chicken tasso pasta meal catered by the gracious efforts of Lagniappe Catering. Chairs of the Faith and Marriage Board, Suzie and Pat Veters opened up to share their presentation and witness of their married life and God’s hand in their vocation. Their sharing was vulnerable, humorous and enlightening, touching the hearts of each couple to bring home and reflect on in their own lives. After door prizes and gifts of gratitude were presented, Archbishop Schulte was gracious enough to close our evening with a story and a prayer, concluding the night in God’s care. We couldn’t be more thankful for the flow of the evening, for the attendance, those generous enough to contribute through donations (be they monetary, spiritual, or gifts of time and labor before, during, or after the event), and for our wonderful presenters. We merely ask now, that we allow this evening to spark the interests of parishes throughout our diocese to refresh this program for their married parishioners or begin their own program if they’ve not yet started. May this diocesan-wide event be the beginning of a rejuvenation of our beloved Supper and Substance ministry.

If interested in assisting your parish in refreshing or beginning the Supper and Substance program, we invite you to participate in our free workshop to be held Saturday, April 5th at St. Dominic Church. We will begin at 9am in the Siena Room with guest presenters, Deacon John and Linda Pippenger. We plan to raffle off three $150 grants for parishes to put toward their Supper and Substance program. To reserve your seat, contact Jason Angelette at (504) 830-3716.

Likewise, our retreats have been blessed thus far. Our January 12th-13th retreat was a great success. Hosted by St. Dominic parish, all spaces were filled, speakers were empowered by the Holy Spirit and well received by retreatants, and couples had the opportunity to reflect and reconnect with one another while enjoying the peaceful atmosphere of the St. Joseph’s Abbey grounds. Special thanks to John and Linda Pippenger, Kat and Paul Metzler, and Joe and Scott Cabes for their willingness to serve and testify to the glory of God and the graces He gives us in marriage.

We welcome all married couples to join us on our upcoming retreats. Each weekend has been planned with careful thought discernment to keep our 2008 theme of “Joy!” alive. The retreats are intended to serve as a time for couples to grow closer in their marriage through inspiring talks, private couple time, individual time, reconciliation, Eucharistic adoration, and the celebration of the mass. Through God’s grace, we pray that each couple may walk away with a renewed strength and a deeper commitment to each other and God. Our retreats are not intended for deeply struggling marriages. If you find you need assistance in finding help in this area, please contact the Family Life Apostolate or call us to help you find help in your search.

Our retreats are located on the lovely and lush grounds of St. Joseph’s Abbey on 1,200 acres just four miles north of Covington, La. Up to 20 couples are accommodated in the Christian Life Center, where spouses will share two adjoined comfortable private rooms with private baths. Additionally, they have access to a chapel, lounge, library, and dining room within the same building. (You may visit the Abbey’s Christian Life Center on line at www.clcabbey.com ) There are no fees for our retreats, as we operate through the donations of our guests. The program’s expense for each weekend is $165 per couple, with a pre-registration deposit of $50. Those able to donate that expense or more, please do so. Those of limited means may give what they can. To register for an upcoming retreat, please contact Jason Angelette at (504) 830-3716 or jangelette@willwoods.org.

As always, we thank you for your support and we invite you to continue to pray for us. To keep up with the happenings of the Faith and Marriage office, please log in to our web site at www.willwoods.org and click on the Faith and Marriage homepage. There you can find updated events, as well as resources for you and your spouse to turn to for guidance on your journey through marriage. The call to marriage is a blessing, a challenge, and a joy to spouses, to families, and to the community. We’re glad to play a part in supporting such a vocation.

Elise Angelette, Assistant Director of Faith & Marriage