National Marriage Week and World Marriage Day

The observances of National Marriage Week (February 7-14) and World Marriage Day (Sunday, February 12) are opportunities to focus on building a culture of life and love that begins with supporting and promoting marriage and the family. The theme of the week this year is "Marriage...one flesh, given and received," which highlights the one-flesh union of husband and wife that is willed by God. It also reflects the personal self-gift of each spouse, one to the other.

National Marriage Week and World Marriage Day provide us an opportunity to celebrate Christian marriage honoring husbands and wives as the foundation of the family, the basic unit of society, and the beauty of the faithfulness, sacrifices, and joys of daily married life. In addition, National Marriage Week encourages building a culture of life and love that begins with promoting and defending marriage and the family. The way in which we build such a culture is to encourage those who are married to live out the sacrament they have received.

Celebrations in Our Diocese

Christian Life Center, Frenchville

The Christian Life Center invites all married couples to come and celebrate their marriage with renewal of their vows and with fellowship. The celebration will begin with Mass and the renewal of vow at 4 p.m. at the Christian Life Center, followed by a dinner and party beginning at 5:30 p.m. The cost is $50 per couple.

Parish of the Holy Eucharist, Falmouth

The Parish of the Holy Eucharist will host a St. Valentine's Ball on Saturday, February 11, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the hall of Holy Martyrs Church, located on 266 Foreside Road in Falmouth. The event will feature a live DJ, a dinner buffet, and a digital portrait photographer. This is a family friendly event, with people of all ages encouraged to attend.

St. Valentine is the patron of married love who continued to marry young people during the Roman Empire after the emperor had forbidden it. He was dedicated to celebrating the genuine love that is at the heart of marriage.

The suggested donation to attend is $5 per person or $20 per family. For more information or to reserve tickets, visit www.pothe.org/stvball.

St. Mary of the Visitation Parish, Houlton

St. Mary of the Visitation Parish invites you to a Celebration of Marriage Dinner on Saturday, February 11, at the parish center, 112 Military Street in Houlton. The dinner begins with hors d'oeuvres at 6 p.m. followed by a steak or haddock meal at 6:30 p.m. Sign-up sheets are available at the entrances of the church or if you have special dietary needs or would like more information, contact Michael Dobbs at 207-694-5684 or [email protected].

Message from Bishop Robert Deeley

National Marriage Week and World Marriage Day are opportunities to remind ourselves of the importance of promoting a culture of love that is rooted in a foundation of marriage and family. These observances also call us to lift up married couples in prayer as we celebrate the gift of marriage and ask God to help couples grow in love with each other.

This year’s theme is "Marriage...one flesh, given and received." It beautifully highlights the personal self-gift of each spouse, one to the other. Each spouse seeks to serve the other so that what they create is more than either of them apart. They are a couple and they become a family helping each other to grow in an appreciation of God’s gift of love. Together, they seek to know how it is to be lived in our world. It is for this reason that we speak of Christian marriage as a vocation. It shows forth, in its self-giving, the generous love of God we find in Jesus. In their unselfish love and care for each other and their children, we can see, concretely, in human flesh, the love of God.

As we celebrate marriage, we remember that God, in Jesus, is always with us and, with his help and grace, assists us in all our efforts to live the love he calls us to share. May our married couples continue to grow in love and peace and may the sacred union of man and woman in marriage always reflect the union of Christ with his Church.

Prayer for Married Couples

Almighty and eternal God,
You blessed the union of married couples
so that they might reflect the union of Christ with his Church:
Look with kindness on them.
Renew their marriage covenant,
increase your love in them,
and strengthen their bond of peace
so that, with their children,
they may always rejoice in the gift of
your blessing.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Find additional prayers here.