Issue link: http://archden.uberflip.com/i/1314685
Archdiocese of Denver 28 Retrouvaille Retreats R etrouvaille Retreats are a lifeline for cou- ples who are struggling with marriage. Retrouvaille is a community of high- ly trained individuals who teach married couples new tools for communication that enable them to live their marriage f reely and whole-heartedly in both good times and bad. The power of the Retrouvaille weekend lies in the testimony and support of these witnesses of love who have experienced suffering in their marriages and have trusted grace and learned to faithfully work for their married love. The highly trained volunteers then walk with the couple for 7 weeks to assist them in creating new habits. A couple seeking help needs to know no more than the first step, which is a phone conversation with a Retrouvaille couple. The deacon assists the volunteers during the weekend in miscellaneous small ways, like helping set up the classroom setting. Divorce Ministries T hrough the years, many Catholics have been wounded as a result of a difficult marriage ending in a civil divorce. These wounds extend to the entire family. Programs designed for those affected by divorce are developed with the intention to build a relationship with God and allow His Mercy to heal wounds steeped in pain. These programs exist to bring hope and healing to those who have experienced loss, suffering and loneliness as the result of a bro- ken marriage. i Deacon Gary Miller Garyevanmiller@msn.com Racism Program & Ministry A rchbishop Jose H. Gomez of Los Angeles and President of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops wrote the following: "Racism is a sin that denies the truth about God and his creation, and it is a scandal that disfigures the beauty of America's founding vision. In our 2018 pastoral letter on racism, my brother bishops and I stated: 'What is needed, and what we are calling for, is a genuine conver- sion of heart, a conversion that will compel change and the reform of our institutions and society.'" Bishop Jorge Rodriguez has established a committee within the Archdiocese of Den- ver to eradicate the sin of racism within the Church of Northern Colorado. The deacon is a member of the committee. They are request- ing resources f rom the USCCB in order to structure the Archdiocese of Denver program and to get resources out to the faithful of the diocese in the future. i Deacon Clarence McDavid cgmcdavid@comcast.net