Joyful Vol 2 Issue 4
The WCI Team is delighted to bring you JOYFUL! the official communique of the Wojtyła Community & Institute. This is your one-stop for all the inspiring stories and exciting events, from podcasts to conferences to marriage retreats, wherever St. John Paul II's Rule is changing lives, you can find it here! Look below to see what this issue includes!
The Gift of Baby Jesus Changes Everything - by: Theresa Martin, Executive Director
As we prepare for Christmas, less than a week now, it seems proper to ask:
what does Christmas have to do with marriage?
We find an answer in a text recently rediscovered (and published for the first time in English in The Rule) by St. John Paul II (then Bishop Wojtyła). He said it is wonderful to connect Christmas with marriage, because it is the mystery of the Incarnation that unlocks the meaning of marriage in its fullest depth ... read more
Planning a Marriage Retreat ... surrendering the details leads to abundant fruit - by: Lisa Manley, WCI Leader Couple, Omaha, NE
My husband Bernie and I had the privilege of attending the Duc in Altym Marriage Retreat Weekend in Winona, MN in March of this year. It was such a gift to our marriage. It made us want others that we know and love to have the opportunity to receive that same gift. That desire, led to a thought… “Maybe we could offer a retreat here in Omaha for our family, friends, and church community. Maybe Peter and Theresa would consider coming to Omaha!” We really had no idea whether that was even something they did. The thought provoked excitement and got the wheels turning. We wondered, “What would that look like here? Where would we hold it? When would be a good time?” But very quickly we got a strong sense that this was not our idea… it was an inspiration of the Holy Spirit. It was an invitation ... read more
The Unexpected Graces of Saying "Yes" to an MCG - by: Lauren Patterson, WCI Leader Couple, Glenville, NY.
“I came that they might have life, and have it more abundantly...” John 10:10
It was a sunny August afternoon, hearts filled to contentment as we returned from several relaxing days vacationing in Maine, when I felt a clear resolution in my heart: start a marriage ministry. I’d been following Peter and Theresa since the launch of the Wojtyla Community & Institute, and had enthusiastically purchased a copy of The Rule. I knew they were onto something important, but had not yet seen clearly whether this mission held personal significance for us as a couple, in our present circumstances, or for our community.
We quickly signed up for training during Fall, 2024. Leader Couple Training was a deep blessing; strangers across the country became collaborators in a shared mission (even if engaged separately), and ... read more
Walking in the Footsteps of Our Beloved Saint - by: Nick Nelson, WCI Leader Couple, Firth, NE
Megan was first introduced to the Theology of the Body when she was given a copy of Christopher West’s book, Good News About Sex & Marriage. This little purple book made a lasting impact. She dove head first into the text of the Wednesday audiences, admitting that she wasn’t quite equipped for Pope John Paul II’s own words just yet. After spending more time studying work from West, Jason and Crystalina Evert, and Brian Butler, she was hooked. Before the Theology of the Body, she described seeing the faith in only black and white. As she learned more, our incarnational, sacramental faith came alive in splendid technicolor... read more
How to Rejoice in Christmas when Your Heart is Broken - by Theresa Martin, Executive Director/ founder
The lights are strung on almost every home, music plays in every store you enter, and even in your home, your children squeal with excitement … but something within your heart weighs you down. You remember the one who could have been; the little one who is not here. The pain swells, you step in another room to hide your tears. You desire to be able to enter in and celebrate all that Advent and the upcoming birth of baby Jesus has for you—but a heaviness pulls within you. You feel broken—heartbroken. You feel guilty for not feeling the joy of the season, for not being light and carefree. Your grief surges and catches in the back of your throat…how can you enter in when you feel so shattered? ... read more
Give your Beloved the Best. Gift. Ever.
You know how life can start moving more and more quickly? We get busy with so many things. And often they are good things - it just keeps seeming to speed up.Give your beloved the gift of time. Time to breathe, to put everything else to one side and focus on you, your love, and God... read more
JPII Feast Day Celebration report! - by: Magda Tukerangi-Sit
On October 21st, Married Couple Groups in the WCI family from across the world gathered online for a special Rodzinka Night Live! celebration! RNL is our quarterly leader gathering, annually opened joyfully to all Married Couple Group members in celebration on the vigil of the Feast of St. John Paul II. Despite the miles between us, the evening was filled with connection, laughter, and ... read more
Cuando conocí a Theresa y a Peter Martin en una conferencia para parejas, noté una alegría y una espiritualidad muy especiales. Me encantó su naturalidad y el amor que reflejaban, especialmente al hablar de su familia y su matrimonio. Más tarde tuve la oportunidad de cenar con ellos, y pude conocer un poco más sobre la vida de los Martins. ¡Qué gozo había en sus anécdotas ... read more
Our Experience at a Marriage Retreat:
The Loop of Grace: Graces Shared are Graces Multiplied - by: Leah Muller, WCI Leader Couple, Lafayette, LA
Even despite the almost unbearable mid-July heat of south Louisiana, we had a beautiful weekend getaway experience at the Two Souls United in Christ retreat in Grand Coteau, growing closer to Jesus and our spouses. The highlight of the retreat for Sam and me was the Couples’ Prayer before the Blessed Sacrament on that second night. It was one of the most powerful experiences of ... read more
Our Experience: Leader Couple Training - by: Brian & Emma Reaney, Leader Couple, Covington, LA
We experienced Christ as a teacher and friend through the vulnerability and wisdom of the other couples in the WCI and WCI training. Just as Jesus came to live alongside us, the WCI invites married couples to intimately and intentionally live alongside one another. We were struck by the beauty of this design—one that seems so obvious yet didn’t ever quite come together as our hearts were desiring ... read more
Welcoming Our New Team Members!
