Marriage is so familiar a concept that we barely think of it as a vocation, more as the way of being which gives us greatest happiness. And when we have children, we celebrate the wonder of a new life, and then get on with the job of juggling the needs of the baby, the other children and our spouse.





Yet it is in marriage and family life that we learn about relationships. We learn how to forgive and how to rejoice in another’s achievements. We learn kindness and tolerance, justice and respect. Most of all, we learn how to love, and be loved.

These are the tools we need if we want to follow Jesus. We practise them first in our family and later apply them to the wider community. Each small act of love deepens our relationship with God, satisfying that often unrecognised yearning for a perfect love.

We may not have known that we were collaborating with God’s will in giving life when we said ‘I do’. But our response as parents is to be that "precious and irreplaceable means by which our children might discover their own vocation, so that they may have life to the full" (In Verbo Tuo).

If you want to find out more, try some of the following organisations:

Marriage Care
Bethany Family Institute
Marriage Encounter
Catholic Marriage Centre
2-in-2-1
Catholic Pages
Relate
Listening 2004

Cana for Couples, St. Gildas Christian Centre, The Hill, Langport, Somerset. TA10 9QF. Tel: 01458 250496 Fax: 01458 251293
Email: ccngildas@aol.com

For information regarding men's groups and weekends please contact Harvesters. They are an organisation set up by men for men to help to grow in the Christian faith and to be of support to one another.
Website: www.harvesters.org.uk

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National Office for Vocation   The Chase Centre 114 West Heath Road London NW3 7TX  United Kingdom
Tel: 020 8458 6017 Registered Charity No: 257239