Parishes assist couples in strengthening marriages

By DAWN PROSSER
Director of Communications
 
Marriages are not “happily ever after” without continuous effort. With everyday challenges of work, running a household and children, married couples can become distracted and often don’t have time to nurture their relationships.
 
To assist existing marriages, two diocesan parishes are offering an opportunity for couples to strengthen their relationships whether they are newly married or have been married for decades.
 
Holy Cross Parish of Sioux City offered Building a Eucharistic Marriage program in January 2024 and has kicked off a new session this winter. All Saints Parish of Le Mars kicked off their first meeting this week.
 
“The ‘Building a Eucharistic Marriage’ course is a seven-part video series, built off of a therapeutic model for change, which connects seven areas for therapeutically strengthening our marriage with seven areas of deepening our relationship with Christ through the Eucharist,” according to the program’s website, eucharisticmarriage.org.
 
Deacon Pat and Patty Brockhaus first led Building a Eucharistic Marriage in January 2024 after Patty Brockhaus reached out to program developer Greg Schutte, based out of Ohio.
 
“He is a marriage counselor and he and his wife share the spotlight in the video program. They’re very real, insightful and relatable,” she said.
 
Brockhaus explained once Holy Cross purchased the program, organizers had access to the videos, guidebooks and other materials. Also, she said Schutte was very accessible for questions and to offer guidance as the parish developed their program.
 
As Fridays were the only day of the week available to schedule the program sessions, the parish program was named “Date Night - Building a Eucharistic Marriage.” Brockhaus would decorate the tables at the St. Michael Parish Hall with candles and flowers to enhance the date night theme.
 
“We seat two couples to a table and rotate every week so we all sit with somebody new each time. Fellowship is important as well,” she explained.
 
Couples married just a few years and some married for decades participated. Many found they share similar concerns as the other couples in the group.
 
The organizer said she found the focus of “being intentional” about the marriage and including Christ in the relationship is what makes Date Night so effective for participants in strengthening their marriages and families.
 

Candlelight and decorations offer a 'date night' atmosphere at St. Michael Church.

“When we let (Christ) love us and we go to him with our marital needs, we become better husbands and wives. That in turn makes us better dads, moms, grandmas and grandpas. This builds a strong family unit and teaches our children how much we love each other as well,” Brockhaus pointed out.
 
The response from the program participants was overwhelmingly positive, which Brockhaus shared her testimonial with Schutte and the Building a Eucharistic Marriage team.
 
“The feedback was incredible and the response from spouses that did not initially want to attend was so positive. The program opens avenues for couples to talk and journal and ties it all together with the church. I felt I needed to share the responses that we got back,” she said.  “One couple who had just become empty nesters were thrilled with learning how to talk to each other again … The husband said they hadn’t really talked for several years and this program opened that up for them.”
 
Last year 12 couples participated in the Holy Cross date night program and eight are enrolled for the current session.
 
Eucharistic Marriage launch
Following positive results with the Witness to Love marriage preparation program, All Saints Parish in Le Mars staff wondered how the parish could support couples after the sacrament of marriage.
 
Researching resources for marriage enrichment Paulette Karolczak, parish faith formation director, reached out to the diocesan Faith Formation Office for guidance. Diocesan Faith Formation Coordinator Delores Huemiller provided options including Building a Eucharistic Marriage.
 
The testimonials by Deacon Pat and Patty Brockhaus on the program website caught Karolczak’s attention and she contacted Patty to learn more about their experience at Holy Cross.

 

All Saints Parish in Le Mars kicked off their program this week.

“They were very open to telling me how they did it and what worked and what didn’t. That’s good when you are going into a new program,” Karolczak said. Building a Eucharistic Marriage seemed to be a good fit for the Le Mars parish as it was flexible, affordable and could be applied for couples at any stage of their marriage, the director explained. She began advertising the program to parishioners during December – including suggesting participation as a Christmas gift for spouses.
 
Twelve couples were on hand to kick off the new program on Jan. 5, including Karolczak and her husband, Todd and fellow organizers Jim and Mary Klein and Paul and Patti Birkey. The three couples will also help with presentations during the sessions, which will run through Feb. 16.
 
“We are excited to do (the program) in our own marriages as well while facilitating it,” Karolczak said.
 
Following the Holy Cross model, All Saints offered a “date night” atmosphere in Richter Hall with candles and decorations on the tables, socializing and a meal. Participants then watched a program video before breaking into small groups for discussion.

Program developer Greg Schutte and his wife are featured on a video.  The faith focus of the eucharistic marriage program drew the director to the curriculum, who anticipants a positive experience for All Saints participants. 

“It is a Catholic program and it really accentuates or parallels how growing in our marriage will help us grow in our faith together. It encourages you to pray together and go to adoration together,” she said. “It seemed like a good foundation to lay for improving marriages.”
 
The Diocese of Sioux City has a partnership with the Building a Eucharistic Marriage where parishes can receive a discount when purchasing the program. Individuals can also purchase the materials for their home use at eucharisticmarriage.org.