The
Evening
for the engaged or Marriage Preparation Course is give by the Marriage
Encounter Couples. It was originally an 8 week programme, which was
coordinated
by Chris & Noelma Lam, dealing with one topic every week, this
arrangement
was not only difficult for the persons giving the course but to couples
experiencing the course. Fr. Robert Barrow SJ, Fr. Keith Hardless and
Richard
& Gillian Van Sluytman sat down and redesigned the programme to
take on a
weekend format, a booklet was then put together with the help of Terry
&
Pat Solomon. We then started our first none sleep in weekend Marriage
Course.
This has proven very successful and every attends as a couple, singles
with
overseas based partners either makes and effort to attend the course or
do a
make up course at their Parish. The course begins on Friday at 6.30 pm
to about
9.30 pm continues on Saturday 1.00 pm to 5.00 pm and concludes Sunday
1.00 pm
to 5.00 pm. A registration fee of G$1,000.00 per couple is asked, the
couple is
given a booklet each and a light snack and drink on Saturday and Sunday.
Courses
are
give four (4) times per year usually in
February, May, July and October. Your Parish Priest will be able to
inform you
the exact dates for the year.
Our Last
weekend for this year begins October 29th – 31st
, 2004
Over the years
we have had several couples and Priests working with the programme, the
present
Teams however are:
Couples:
Dereck &
Beverley Rogers - Coordinators
Richard &
Gillian Van Sluytman
Tony &
Sharon Mansell
Bill &
Sandra Fernandes
Danny &
Claire Rajcoomar
Dirk &
Debbie Nicholson
Yale &
Sharon Holder
Joel &
Shellyanne Freeman
Priest:
Fr. John
Persaud Vicar General
Fr. Robert
Barrow SJ
Fr. Keith Hardless
Many couples after experiencing the Marriage Preparation Sessions were asking for something more. Fr. Robert Barrow along with Dereck & Beverley Rogers, Richard & Gillian Van Sluytman, Tony & Sharon Mansell and Michael & Yvette Bailey, all members of the Marriage Preparation Teams recognised the need for some form of support for married couples during the first 2 - 3 years of marriage, and so they came up with the idea of forming a group called “Friends In Marriage”.
On September 19th 1998, the group invited all the couples who had done the course for that year to join them for their first meeting at Holy Rosary Church Parish Hall.
The objective of the programme is for young married couples to meet, discuss and share issues that affect their lives and to support each other. Since the launching of the programme, couples have been meeting on the third Saturday of every month. Although a Priest is not usually present at these meetings Fr. John Persaud often pops in and is always willing to help in anyway he can.
Over the years a wide range of topics have been discussed, along with other activities including games night. During the first few years we moved around the parishes but after careful consideration it was decided that the venue should be one central place, so we meet upstairs of the Catholic Family & Life Centre every third Saturday at 6.30 PM.
In April 2001 our first newsletter "The Love Bud", was produced by one of the host couples. After they migrated the newsletter was no longer in circulation, however a new couple has recently volunteered to continue its publication. Although the FIM group is not well attended we will continue to pray and ask for your prayers for the couples who attend and also for those young couples who are struggling with their marriage.
This Group although it is hosted by Catholic Couples it is not confined to only Catholic Couples, Just as we welcome all couples who would like to experience the Marriage Preparation Course we welcome you to “FRIENDS IN MARRIAGE” also.