Skills for Sacramental Marriage Building – refilling our wine glasses

There’s a moment in every marriage when the wine runs low. The initial joy, the effortless connection, the sense that love would always flow abundantly are gone. Life has a way of emptying our glasses. Careers demand attention, children need care, and the daily responsibilities slowly dim the light that once burned so brightly.

But how do we as couples know if our wine is running low? Are their skills we can develop to refill our wine glasses? The Skills for Sacramental Marriage Building Workshop is here to help.

On February 28 and March 1, something sacred unfolded for the parishioners of Santa Rosa and Malabar cluster. Couples, some hopeful, some hesitant, all gathered at the Skills for Sacramental Marriage Building Workshop, hungry to explore the depths of their relationships.

The workshop brought together over 30 couples who participated in a series of engaging presentations, reflective discussion, and interactive activities designed to help them in their understanding of marriage as a sacrament.

The weekend began with prayer and Lectio Divina, setting a reflective and welcoming tone for the sessions that followed. Couples were introduced to the concept of the domestic Church, which emphasised the idea that family is the first place where faith is lived and nurtured.

From the outset, facilitators emphasised the importance of creating a safe and supportive environment where participants could share honestly and learn from one another.

A highlight for many was the opportunity to hear marriage witnesses from the facilitator couples who shared their personal journeys of love, faith, and perseverance. These testimonies helped participants see how the Sacrament of Marriage unfolds in real life, through both joyful moments and challenges, with one participant stating that the “real life experiences shared really brought significant value to the presentations”.

A central focus of the workshop was helping couples develop clear and effective communication skills. Through presentations and guided exercises such as the Daily Check-In (DCI), couples learned practical techniques to listen more deeply, express themselves more clearly, and better understand their spouse’s perspective.

Participants also had time to practise these skills together, reinforcing the idea that effective communication is one of the most important foundations of healthy marriage.

The workshop also explored the natural cycle of relationships, helping couples recognise that every marriage experience seasons of growth, tension, and renewal. The session emphasised that in understanding these cycles, all challenges encountered by couples are encouraged to be faced with a sense of patience and hope.

Another meaningful session focused on temperaments, allowing couples to discover their personality traits, innate needs, and emotional responses. Some participants expressed that this was perhaps the “most important” session, as it helped participants gain a deeper appreciation for their spouse’s differences and offered practical insight into how those differences can strengthen a relationship rather than create division.

Throughout the weekend, participants watched and reflected on videos from the series God’s Plan for Love which explored themes such as God’s desire for relationship with humanity, the original vision for marriage, and how Christ restores and strengthens marital love.

There were light moments such as interactive icebreakers and after lunch refreshers which allowed couples to relax, laugh and reconnect with one another in a joyful environment.

The weekend concluded with a time for evaluation, reflection, and prayer as couples looked ahead to how they could continue nurturing their marriages beyond the workshop.

Upcoming dates and hosts

• April 18 & 19 – Couples for Christ (Mt St Benedict)
• July 4, 14 & 21 – Pointe-a-Pierre
• July 12 & August 30 – Tortuga
• July 18 & 19 – San Juan/Mt Lambert
• September 19 & 20 – Diego Martin
• October 24 & 25 – Pt Fortin
• October 24 & 25 – Barataria

Interested couples can contact the Archdiocesan Family Life Commission at 299-1047 or aflc.pc@catholictt.org Persons can also register directly via our online form at bit.ly/SMB_Register.