Help for hurting marriages

The diocesan Office of Family Ministry is introducing a new program for troubled marriages called Corazon (Spanish word for heart).
 
The new project was developed to help those who feel that there is no hope for their marriage and the hurt is too deep to restore the relationship and love that once existed. Within the diocesan ministry, the program will replace the Retrouvaille retreat that was previously offered for those struggling in marriage.
 
"I was asked by Bishop Kagan about three years ago to become part of the Retrouvaille program,” explained Fr. Russ Kovash, pastor at St. Joseph in Williston. “Marriage and family are areas I'm passionate about, especially marriage preparation for engaged couples and this is along those same lines. When you see couples struggling in marriage, it's tough. You want them to be happy and succeed."
 
Who is the program for?
 
The Corazon program is for couples who are:
• struggling to communicate
• trying to find reason to stay together
• cold and distant from each other
• living the single/ married lifestyle.
• separated/ divorced, but wanting to try again.
 
"There's a quote from Pope Saint John Paul II, ‘As the family goes, so goes the nation and so goes the whole world in which we live.' He was saying that when marriage and family life is good, it's good for society. These days, more than ever, there's an attack on marriage and family and, as a priest, I want to do whatever I can to help make families strong,” Fr. Kovash said.

Softening hearts
 
Corazon is a weekend experience in which couples will be challenged to soften their hearts by looking at what the sacrament of marriage is all about, dig deeply into our own short-comings and failures and offer different tools to help heal from past hurts and move forward.
 
Topics discussed during a weekend session include: love languages, sacramental marriage, communication challenges, conflict management, forgiveness, unrealistic expectations, single married life, hardened hearts, hope, praying together. Adoration and the sacrament of reconciliation will also be offered during the weekend.
 
"After about two years assisting in the Retrouvaille program as the priest for the weekend, I was seeing many good things, but there were also some things lacking, particularly the spiritual aspect."
 
Father Kovash stressed that Jesus is the key to sacramental marriage so if Jesus is missing then the most important aspect is missing. That is why the new program, Corazon, was created. "I think many couples don't quite understand Jesus' role in marriage and what it means to have a sacramental marriage, to involve their faith in order to resolve conflict, or simply to pray together."
 
Corazon is not a support group, a seminar, a social gathering, nor is it counseling. Couples are not asked to share their problems with anyone else. They will be encouraged to participate with open hearts and minds and to come with an attitude ready to put the past behind and look forward to what the future holds.
 
He said Corazon was developed because Retrouvaille was good, but lacking in some areas and could be strengthened. "We could add to it and provide what couples need, especially those couples that are just hanging on."
 
When thinking and praying about what he wishes for couples on a Corazon retreat, Fr. Kovash thinks of one word—hope. "I would like to think that they could leave a weekend with hope, something they probably thought was lost," he said. "From a practical standpoint, they will receive some tools that they didn't have to help them in their marriage. And, most of all, through the weekend, that they would come to know Jesus and deepen their relationship with Him and understand just how critical He is in marriage."
 
Register for weekend March 29-31
 
The first-ever diocesan Corazon weekend will be offered March 29-31. For more information, call Tara at the diocesan Office of Family Ministry at 701-204-7209. Callers do not need to identify themselves if you wish to remain anonymous when inquiring for information.
 
To register for the program, go to: www.bismarckdiocese.com/corazon. Be assured that all names are kept confidential and names are never shared beyond the office of family ministry. A non-refundable deposit of $100 to secure registration is requested. There will be a tax-deductible donation requested on the weekend, as well. However, no one will be turned away from the chance to renew their marriage because of a lack of funds.