Two separate marriage initiatives in February affirm the priority of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) to support and strengthen marriage, said Bishop Kevin Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana, who oversees the bishop?s efforts in this area.
In a January 13 letter to all Catholic bishops of the United States, Bishop Rhoades, the new chairman of the USCCB Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth, highlighted World Marriage Day, National Marriage Week USA and numerous resources offered by the USCCB, saying, ?I encourage you to share this information with the clergy and lay leaders of your diocese so that together we might strive to become ?marriage building? communities of faith and action"
World Marriage Day, which is promoted by Worldwide Marriage Encounter, is being sponsored Sunday, February 13, in U.S. dioceses and parishes. Its theme is ?Love One Another.?
?World Marriage Day received the Apostolic Blessing of John Paul II in 1993,? noted Bishop Rhoades. ?It has continued to grow and spread among many countries and faith expressions ever since.?
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