Pope Francis Names Former Worldwide Marriage Encounter International Ecclesial Leadership Couple as Auditors for XIV Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod
ROME, Italy Sept. 14, 2015 /
Christian Newswire/ -- Tony and Cathy Witczak, the immediate past Worldwide Marriage Encounter (WWME) International Ecclesial Team Couple, were appointed to the role of Auditors of the XIV Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops by Pope Francis, it was announced today. The focus of the synod is on "The Vocation and Mission of the Family in the Church and the Contemporary World."
"We are very excited to announce that Pope Francis has appointed Tony & Cathy Witczak as Auditors for the Synod of Bishops in October. We believe, as they do, that they have been called to serve in this role because of their prior years of relationship with the Vatican as World Leaders for WWME," said Daniel & Shelley Ee from Singapore, and Fr. Nathanial (Boy) Gomez, from the Philippines, the current WWME International Ecclesial Team (IET).
The synod will be held from October 4 to 25, 2015 at the Vatican in Rome.
Prior to the meeting, the current IET leaders will be meeting with the Witczaks during the World Meeting of Families that is being held later this month in Philadelphia in conjunction with Pope Francis' visit to the United States.
"What great news for Tony & Cathy and a tremendous blessing for WWME!" said Gene & Maggie Tokraks and Bishop Bill Skylstad, the North American Ecclesial Team for Worldwide Marriage Encounter. They added, "We truly want to shower the Synod and especially Tony & Cathy with prayer as they take on this very special assignment."
Worldwide Marriage Encounter has been offering weekend experiences for over 47 years and is considered the original faith-based marriage enrichment program. The programs are continually updated to keep abreast of changes in society, and WWME now offers evening and half-day programs that are presented at parishes and other church facilities. The weekend program, traditionally presented as an overnight experience at a hotel or retreat center, can also be presented at the parish where the couples return to their homes in the evenings. WWME has a presence in almost 100 countries, which makes it the largest pro-marriage movement in the world. In North America, the WWME programs are presented in English, Spanish, French, and Korean languages.
Worldwide Marriage Encounter offers married couples the opportunity to spend time together away from the busyness of the world to focus on each other. Priests are also encouraged to attend a WWME weekend, which offers insights into their relationship with the church and their parishioners, and how their Sacrament of Holy Orders interacts with the Sacrament of Matrimony. WWME offers tools for building and maintaining a strong, Christian marriage in today's world. To learn more about the Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekends online, go to wwme.org, or contact the WWME national office at 909-332-7309.
