Celebrate Love, a seminar for married couples, is being offered for the first time in New Zealand.
Co-written by Australians, Francine and Byron Pirola, Celebrate Love is a two-day, non-residential seminar designed for couples in solid relationships.
It is presented by married couples and explores the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of marital intimacy, and helps couples to identify their individual intimacy needs.
Presentations are followed by self-directed questionnaires and discussion so that the husband and wife are able to explore the topics together in complete privacy. There is no group discussion or counselling.
Louise Kelleher, Archdiocesan Marriage Education Coordinator, attended a seminar with her husband, Mike, (pictured) in Australia last year and is enthusiastic about the programme.
‘Celebrate Love is a welcome addition to the marriage enrichment programmes available in New Zealand. It is based on the teachings of Pope John Paul’s Theology of the Body and gave us a good understanding of modern Catholic teaching on marriage.
‘We enjoyed being able to spend two days in a non-threatening environment reflecting on how this teaching is relevant to our daily experience and how we could integrate it more fully into our lives.
‘We came away with a heightened awareness of just how precious our marriage relationship is and with strategies for continuing our growth in intimacy.’
For further information about the Celebrate Love seminar and for registration details contact Louise and Mike Kelleher at Wellington (04) 496 1796 or
1.kelleher@wn.catholic.org.nz, or visit the website www.celebratelove.com.au