The members — who are volunteers, tirelessly commit themselves to a cause. Volunteers are made up of encountered couples through Marriage Encounter. ME couples are making headway to ensuring that the World Wide Marriage Encounter, or WWME, program continues to flourish in the CNMI.
The WWME is a community driven program built on love and faith and is guided by the teachings of the bible, its verses, the language used to bring in union our spirits with our creator. The encountering experience enriches the marriage and once again the community is providing another weekend experience to 30 couples at the Aqua Resort Club this April 8-10.
WWME was founded in 1952. A young priest in Spain, Father Gabriel Calvo, began developing a series of conferences on marriage. This unique experience started finding its way to hearts and minds of people in Spain. By the year 1966, the program spreading like wildfire, opened up many countries to bring forth the marriage program. WWME was then created to be a worldwide enrichment program for marriages in 1971. The community built on love through the Marriage Encounter program over the years has brought value, enrichment to the sacrament of marriage.
The CNMI WWME and its community host two weekends each year. The efforts put in motion are simply for honest and open communications and shared feelings between husband and wife with strong emphasis in faith to guide, lead, and enrich a marriage.
The weekend coordinated by the community, starts planning at least 10-12 weeks in advance.
“This Spring Marriage Encounter weekend is yet another successful movement for our faith and our marriages. Our community, led by Wayne and Boni Pangelinan have unselfishly committed time and resources to making this happen for others to see the value it provides,” stated Vince & Hilma Castro, Ecclesial Couple for Marriage Encounter.
The ME Community on Saipan continues to grow and flourish. Its community, dedicated to ensuring more marriages are strengthened through the program, emphasizes great responses that derive from the elements in the weekend and after.
“The ME program has been a pillar to establishing better and greater marriages between husband and wife. Our progress has motivated married couples to see past their flaws, past blames, and focus on what is there, real, loving, caring while keeping faith to guide and lead their marriages,” stated Father Ike Ayuyu.
Each year the ME community schedules its weekends in Spring and Fall. October will hold the next fall weekend and announcement will be made as the recruiting commences.
“We encourage all married couples to consider the Marriage Encounter program. This is worth your marriage as many have seen and attribute their success to the weekends and more,” Father Ayuyu said.
