With the theme; “Witnessing the love of God” participants were challenged to reflect more deeply in their marriage life and the way they could truly witness the love of God in their families. Being challenged to be the witness of God’s love as husband and wife together with their children calls for a renewal commitment and faithfulness in marriage life. In his message to the families early this year, Most. Rev. Luciano Capelli SDB DD – Bishop of Gizo highlighted; “the vision of the Diocesan Family Life Apostolate envisions contributing to the Evangelization process by making every effort towards the total development of Christian Families so they become the domestic church alive in Christ. It is our strong belief to contribute through this office to the evangelization process by way of reaching-out to all the couples to see, know and acknowledge our being as Christians in the way we live and bear witness. It is our dream that we do the utmost we can to support our family unit through teaching to counter the social hills that interfere with the truth in evangelization.” These couples have been through series of marriage enrichment training during the year, which is one of the main pastoral concern of the Diocese of Gizo. The Diocese Pastoral Planning sees the great need for a better service and program for the family. The commissioning couples have been assigned to their Parishes to work with couples in their Parishes, with the support of the Parish Priest and Parishioners in conducting marriage enrichment trainings and marriage preparation program.
Let us work together to be witnesses of this Love of God in our families.
“THE FUTURE OF EVANGELIZATION DEPENDS IN GREAT PART,
ON THE CHURCH OF THE HOME.” (fam. Con.52)
Sr. Rita Pitavavine OP
The Family, Center for Evangelization.
Lumen Grentivin calls the Domestic Church. (11).This expression is again taken up in Evangelii Nuntiandi meaning “in each Christian family the various elements of the whole church should be found in the family should be the place from whence the Gospel is transmitted and its message radiated.” (71). Familiaris Consortio calls upon the Christian family to be a “Sign of Unity…. And to exercise its prophetic role by bearing witness to the Kingdom and Peace of Christ….” (21, 48)
The Christian family is then more than an image of church. It is church by reason of its mission and Ministry. It is the centre where Christ is present, where the Gospel is lived, Celebrated and proclaimed.
The Christian Family as Evangelizers.
Families need to be enabled to live their Evangelizing role. They must be empowered to face the challenges of the gospel in all levels of life. Faith formation focusing on Conversion, repentance, and Christian patterns of relating needs to be planned and facilitated. Evangelization challenges the Christian family to recognize the implications of their baptismal call, to commit themselves to reconciliation, and to share their faith.
Marriage Enrichment Seminar En-lights More Couples
Group Presentation from Participants
In couple - During session
Receiving Marriage Sacrament during the wedding ceremony is not enough or not the end of the wedding ceremony, but the beginning of the ceremony which is the everlasting wedding ceremony for life”, said many who attended the Marriage Enrichment Seminar at St Peter’s Cathedral, Gizo parish.
The Diocesan Catholic Family life apostolate envisions contributing to the Evangelization process by making every effort towards the total development of Christian Families so the become the domestic church alive in Christ
It is our strong belief to contribute through this office to the evangelization process by way of reaching out to all the couples to see, know and acknowledge our being as Christians in the way we live and bear witness. It is our dream that we do the utmost we can to support our family unit through teaching to counter the social hills that interfere with the truth in evangelization
MISSION
We commit ourselves through the promulgation of the Christian values making families aware of essential issues through the preparation of community Christian Family leaders; organization of seminars, retreats and public events; publication of teaching materials; training of people win the associate fields and networking with the secretaries of the catholic bishops conference, other churches, Government agencies and NGO’s
The Diocesan Catholic Family life apostolate envisions contributing to the Evangelization process by making every effort towards the total development of Christian Families so that they become the domestic church alive in Christ.
It is our strong belief to contribute through this office to the evangelization process by way of reaching out to all the couples to see, know and acknowledge our being as Christian in the way we live and bear witness. It is our dream that we do the utmost we can to support our family unity through teaching to counter the social hills that interfere with the truth in evangelization
We want all Families to be truly alive in Christ. As Catholics we understand this to mean: that couples are happy married, they have remained chaste before marriage and faithful in marriage, they participate fully in the Sacramental life of the church,beginning with the sacrament of marriage.
A happy marriage also means one without violence, open to the gift of children and where couples communicate well.
Family Life Apostolate 
