JOYFUL! Vol 2: Issue 3
Here, we're family.
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! This issue includes:
A Way of Life ... not a program!
by: Theresa Martin, Executive Director and Co-founder
Friends, what a joy it is to live a life freely in faith and love! St. John Paul II placed the value of human freedom at one of the highest levels. When asked what his favorite scripture passage was, he was known to have said John 8:32: “and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Yet, what is true freedom? And what effect does living in freedom have on our spiritual life? (Let’s find out, shall we?) Read more!
HOSTING A WCI MARRIAGE RETREAT
by: Amanda Griggs, WCI Leader Couple, Cedar Rapids, IA
When I was asked the question, “Do you want to host a marriage retreat?” my heart responded with an immediate “YES!” before my brain could chime in with its usual concerns. You know that resistance that hits when you’re starting something big? The enemy enjoys whispering the familiar doubts of my inadequacy. Keep Reading...
MCG SPOTLIGHT: OUR LEADER COUPLE TRAINING EXPERIENCE ... and the first meeting with our new MCG
by: Josey & Beth Varberg, WCI Leader Couple, Cohasset, MN
...We learned about The Rule gradually over the last year, and were so happy to find that there was a Leader Couple Training scheduled for Winter 2025. We were so excited, and yet a little uncertain about what we were getting into! However, we continued to follow the path that the Lord was putting in front of us, one step at a time. Read more!
LOOK TO WUJEK: Hole in the Hedge: Finding Freedom through Faith
by: Theresa Martin, Executive Director
Dear friends, I would like to share a story with you about our beloved papa told by his dear friend, Prof. Stanisław Grygiel. Now, Prof. Grygiel was a dear friend of St. John Paul II. He was one of the first professors hired to teach at the John Paul II Institute of Marriage and Family Studies at its founding. He was friends with him in Poland before John Paul II became pope and Prof. Grygiel and his wife, Ludmiła, were a part of the community of friends that surrounded then Bishop Wojtyła, his Środowisko (pronounced: shrō-dō-vīskō, translated loosely as milieu or environment). Grygiel knew Wojtyła closely and the two often took strolls ... Read more!
HISTORY & MISSION: The Rule Cultivates the Soil of Our Hearts
by: Peter Martin, President and Co-founder
“For You have formed us for Yourself, and our hearts are restless till they find rest in You.” St. Augustine, in his Confessions, expresses the truth that he was brought to after years of tireless searching. We often feel the same restlessness of our hearts and it is not until we surrender our lives to His tender mercy that we find the peace that we are searching for!
Married Couples who are following St. John Paul II’s Rule for Married Couple Groups have discovered an avenue for that peace and are finding that it affects not only ... Read more!
What a Joy it is to be a Part of Such a Great Work of His Hands!
by: Theresa Martin, Executive Director
Friends, indeed the Lord has been working in mighty ways this year! We must do our little part, but it is God who provides the results. Like a pencil in His mighty hands, God is using our little ministry to bring such joy and love to spouses all over the world! We have seen miracles, conversions, love stories exploding everywhere! What a joy it is to be a part of such a great work of His hands! What a joy to be the instrument of our mighty God with the help of His servant St. John Paul II and under the protection of Our Mother Mary! We had three unique ... Read more here!
Get away from the bustle of everyday life. Give your spouse the gift of time - to deepen your love in Christ. Allow yourselves the opportunity to step into a place of peace and sacredness. You and your spouse will learn about St. John Paul II’s Rule for Marriage & experience the deep spiritual union, available in sacramental marriage!
Si Dios está en el centro, ¿cómo pueden fallar?
by: Padre Kyle Laylan
Crecí en una familia con mamá, papá y 4 hermanos. Mi mamá nos cuidaba y mi papá se esforzaba por proveernos. Mis padres pasaron por buenos y malos momentos, pero siempre unidos como pareja...
I grew up in a family with a mom, dad, and four siblings. My mom took care of us, and my dad did his best to provide for us. My parents went through good times and bad, but they always remained united as a couple... Read more
The Power of the Pope - part 3
by: Gina Loehr, WCI Leader Couple, Mount Calvary, WI
. . . My graduate studies at Franciscan University deepened my understanding of and appreciation for the teachings of Pope John Paul II. I had already been deeply touched by his apostolic letter Mulieris Dignitatem, (On the Dignity and Vocation of Women), but now I also had the opportunity to study encyclicals like Fides et Ratio (On Faith and Reason), Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life), and Veritatis Splendor (The Splendor of Truth), all of which helped me grow in my gratitude for the Church... Keep reading!