By Matthew Greeley | Special Contributor

Live your faith! 

This message resounded loud and clear in the Diocese of Trenton’s couples’ retreat, Pareja: ¡Vive tu fe! (Couples: Live your faith!), Jan. 18 in St. Barnabas Parish, Bayville.

Click here to view photo gallery on this story.

Challenged to breathe life into their relationships by welcoming God’s blessing and involvement, Hispanic couples took advantage of the retreat either as a first step toward the Sacrament of Matrimony or as a resource to enrich their marriages. 

Carrie Barillas, diocesan coordinator of ministries with Hispanic families in the diocesan Department of Youth, Marriage and Family Life, expressed her hope that couples recognize a real way that God wants to be a part of their relationships … that the Sacrament of Matrimony isn’t something to fear, but really is a gift and something that strengthens their relationships. 

“People don’t seem to see the beauty of the sacrament because they don’t have the correct information.  We want people to take away a better understanding of the beauty and grace found in the Sacrament of Matrimony,” Barillas shared.

During the retreat, some couples expressed concern about being ready for a sacramental commitment, respecting that it was forever and that divorce wasn’t an option.

Father Roberto Padilla, parochial vicar, St. Barnabas Parish, and facilitator for the retreat, addressed this fear, sharing that being united in faith brings everything else in life together.  Father Padilla spoke about the warmth of the Catholic faith and the warmth that is necessary in married life. 

Father Padilla began the day with a prayerful activity in which the couples washed and blessed one another’s hands.  The symbolism of cleansing and of blessing later translated into Father Padilla’s message that it is vital to couple’s relationships to show affection, to not be afraid to show love. 

“Over time, couples forget to show appreciation and affection for one another.  It is important that, just like in our relationships with God, we do little things to let the other know we are thinking about them,” explained Father Padilla.  “Do not let fear keep you from being loving, from being loved.  Our God is a personal God, so we too need to be personal in our relationships with others.”

Leading moments of praise and worship music, Ivan Vergara and the band, Ministerio de lo Nuevo (What’s New Ministry) of Christ the King Parish, Long Branch, continued to develop the theme, asking couples to hold hands as they prayed over each other in song. 

The 11 couples, representing seven parish communities in the diocese, laughed as they took part in community-building activities like finding their spouse blindfolded by touching others’ hands, raising the question of how well they know one another.

With various opportunities to pray together and over one another, all took part in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, and the closing Mass celebrated by Father Padilla in St. Barnabas Chapel.

Additional Pareja, Vive tu Fe retreats will be held March 8, in St. Paul’s Parish, Princeton (Mercer County); May 17, in Holy Spirit Parish, Asbury Park (Monmouth County), and June 14, Jesus the Good Shepherd Parish, Riverside (Burlington County).

All couples married civilly or living together who are curious about the Sacrament of Matrimony, or interested in meeting other couples in similar situations, are encouraged to register for this transformative retreat experience by contacting Carrie Barillas at [email protected] or 609-403-7175.

Matthew Greeley is associate director in the diocesan Office of Communications.