Regional Marriage Encounter members challenged to think synodally

Members of the Worldwide Marriage Encounter movement in North America and the Caribbean have been challenged to think synodally. The challenge came from both French theologian Msgr Philippe Bordeyne in the final presentation, and later by Archbishop Charles Jason Gordon at the closing Mass of the North American Secretariat Convention.

The June 20-22 convention was held at the National Academy for the Performing Arts and was historic for the regional movement as it was the first time it was being held outside of North America.

Participants came from USA, Canada, and other countries of the Caribbean. Presentations during the three-day convention focused on the theme, Be the light of Christ.

Msgr Philippe Bordeyne, President of the St John Paul II Pontifical Theological Institute for Marriage and Family Sciences, was the featured speaker.

On the closing day, he joined Convention chair couple Rev Malcom Joab, his wife Lynn, and their daughters Gianna Maria and Mariella Therese for the final presentation titled ‘We, as a family, are called to be the Light of Christ for each other and the world.’

Wilfred Holder, who, with his now deceased wife Kay, brought Marriage Encounter to the Caribbean more than four decades ago, was recognised and received a standing ovation.

The next convention will be held in 2028 at a venue to be decided by the incoming leadership as the tenure of Tony and Sue Morris, and Fr Larry Brault, the North American Secretariat Ecclesial Team, comes to an end. –RS