MARRIAGE

Getting Married?

We suggest that you contact your parish priest a minimum of six months before the date you wish to marry.

Please note:  If either of you has had a previous marriage (even if your previous spouse has died, or the marriage did not take place in the Catholic Church) you should speak to your parish priest as soon as possible.

Pre-marriage courses are held throughout the diocese, at different times throughout the year. You can register for a pre-marriage course when you meet with your pastor.

Pre-Marriage Courses

PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED

Central Deanery

Where: St. Paul The Apostle Catholic Church
             1111 Taylor-Kidd Blvd.
             Kingston , ON   K7M 8G8

When:   REGISTRATION FOR THE APRIL COURSE IS CLOSED 
               Please contact one of the other Deaneries

Contact:  Mariola Gozdek @ (613) 546-5521
                email mgozdek@cogeco.net
                registration form

Western Deanery

Where:  Holy Rosary Church
               169 North Park Street, Belleville
When:    16-17 April 2010
Cost:      $100 /couple 
Contact:  Your parish priest

Northern Deanery

Where:  St. John's High School
               Perth
When:    9-11 April 2010
Cost:      $100 /couple
payable to St. Francis de Sales Parish
Information and Registration 
Contact:  Frank & Jane Nitschmann
(613) 264-8923, e-mail: nitnest9@superaje.com
Letter to Engaged Couples
Registration Form

Eastern Deanery

Where:  St. John Bosco Parish, Brockville
When:   5-6 March 2010
Cost:      $90 / couple 
for information or to register:
www.stjohnboscoparishbrockville.com  
or contact St. John Bosco Parish 613-342-5095 
or email us at boscopar@ripnet.com 

Outside of Archdiocese of Kingston

Archdiocese of Ottawa
Pastoral Services/Family Ministries
Anne Marie Brown (613) 738-5025 

Toronto
Catholic Pastoral Centre 
Family Life, 1155 Yonge Street
(416) 921-1163

St. Joseph's Centre
3377 Bayview Ave., North York 
416) 250-3111

Queen of the Apostles Renewal Centre
1617 Blythe Road, Mississauga, ON
Phone: 905-278-5229 / 519-742-8208

Alexandria- Cornwall Diocese: 
Kim Walsh (613-933-1138)

A Lifeline for Troubled Marriages
RETROUVAILLE REDISCOVERY  

Retrouvaille is the name of a program designed to help heal and renew troubled marriages.   The word "retrouvaille" simply means ‘rediscovery’.  This program offers couples the chance to rediscover themselves, their spouse,  and a loving relationship in their marriage.

Information:  Sr. Lucy Kearney, SP
Family Ministry Office
family@romancatholic.kingston.on.ca
613-548-4461

RETROUVAILLE CANADA
http://www.retrouvaille.org/dates.php

M.O.M.S.
Ministry of Mothers Sharing

Created by: Paula Hagen, OSB

M.O.M.S. is FOR:

• WOMEN who devote their time to the spiritual and physical upbringing of their children.
• WOMEN who live with many demands on their time and energy.
• WOMEN who need a place to receive personal and spiritual nurturing.

M.O.M.S. IS:

• A Peer Ministry Program
• Learn to share with other mothers the stress, concerns and positive experiences that have influenced your personal growth.
• Experience the support of other women as you discover the depth of your spirituality.

Are YOU:

•  able to make a commitment of 2 hours/week for a 6-8 week period?
•  able to keep confidentiality?
•  able to support other mothers in their personal growth?
• Do you have a desire for self-growth?

OBJECTIVES:

• To gather mothers together to form a network of mutual support
• To provide a group experience of learning, praying and ministering to each other
• To increase awareness of community resources and provide opportunities for ministry.

MINISTRY OF MOTHER SHARING will be led by a team 

• of facilitators and topics will include...
• Self Esteem and Self-Acceptance
• What influences me at this time in my life?
• Stress, Worries and Anxiety
• Learning to deal with stress productively
• Everyday Spirituality
• Relationship with Self; Relationship with God
• Feelings
• Constructive self-expression
• Personal Growth
• Who am I?
• Where do I give and receive support?
• Expressing Values in Friendship
• Defining Christian values, examining relationships
• Celebration of New Beginnings
• An evening of celebration
• Postscript: Continuing the Journey
• How will I continue my personal growth?

For information on how to start this program in your parish or if you would like to receive a brochure, contact Sr. Lucy Kearney, SP, or Gorett DaSilva at the Diocesan Centre.

From Humanae Vitae to 
Theology of the Body: Celebrating 
the Church’s Teaching On Sexuality & Marriage

Photo:  Fred Happy
Photo Gallery

The A, B, C’s and X, Y, Z’s of John Paul ll’s 
Theology of the Body: 

A Short briefly annotated Webliography organized for the most part according to the level of reading difficulty.  A= less difficult. Research and parenthetical remarks by Blaine Barclay. 
(Links last updated Feb. 2009)

A) http://www.catholic.org/featured/headline.php?ID=63  
John Paul II for Dummies, Katrina J. Zeno (A well written easy to read introduction to the TOB by a popular speaker)

B) http://www.firstthings.com/article.php3?id_article=438 
The Embodied Self, Michael Novak (Another succinct introductory essay on the TOB)

C) http://www.catholicculture.com/Radiation_of_Fatherhood.pdf 
The full text of  Karol Wojtyla’s Play, The Radiation of Fatherhood (An early Play by the young Wojtyla which already anticipates the insights developed in his later TOB)

D) http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/sexuality/se0109.html  
What is the Theology of the Body & Why is it Changing so Many Lives? Christopher West (An excellent introductory overview of the TOB)

E) http://www.affirmlife.com/page.cfm?Web_ID=1 
Why We Need a New Language For Talking About Marriage and Sexuality, Mary Shivanandan (Short and sweet apology for the TOB)

F) http://www.theologyofthebody.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view
&id=83&Itemid=48 
Who Will Man Be for Woman and Who Will Woman Be for Man? Part  1. By  Fr. Thomas Lova.

G) http://www.thenewatlantis.com/publications/the-anti-theology-of-the-body 
The Anti-Theology of the Body   by David B Hart. (an excellent explication of John Paul II’s Theology of the Body by a prominent Eastern Orthodox Theologian.)

H)   http://www.ewtn.com/vondemand/audio/seriessearchprog.asp?seriesID=7064&T1
The Theology of the Body with Fr. Richard Hogan w/ Katrina Zeno. (A series of audio files on the TOB, relax and listen)

I)  http://www.christendom-awake.org/pages/mshivana/faq-tob.htm
Frequently Asked Questions on John Paul II's Theology of the Body, by Mary Shivanandan (A more in depth and erudite overview of the TOB by the author of Crossing the Threshold of Love Note: You will have to copy and paste this web address into your browser in order to go to it.)

J) http://www.catholicculture.com/past_discussions/february_21_01.html
Audio and print version of a talk on the TOB, On Betrothed Love: the Gift of Self, Fr. Bob Connor (Excellent especially for giving your eyes a rest, sit back, listen and enjoy)

K) http://www.nfpoutreach.org/Hogan_Theology_%20Body1.htm 
An Introduction to John Paul II's Theology of the Body, Father Richard M. Hogan, extensive introduction in 8 chapters. (Quite extensive but well worth the effort)

M)  http://www.ewtn.com/library/PAPALDOC/JP2TBIND.HTM 
GENERAL AUDIENCES: JOHN PAUL II'S THEOLOGY OF THE BODY Pope John Paul II (the full text of all 129 lectures by Pope John Paul the Great.)

N)  http://www.thomist.org/journal/1997/971BBlos.htm
At the Center of the Human Drama: The Philosophical Anthropology of Karol Wojtyla/Pope John Paul II.  By Kenneth L. Schmitz, Review by Philip Blosser (An excellent review of an even more excellent book. Note: You will have to copy and paste this web address into your browser in order to go to it.)

O) http://catholiceducation.org/articles/religion/re0474.html  Embodiment, (an excellent little essay by John F. Crosby, author of The Selfhood of the Human Person,

P) http://www.catholicculture.com/of_interest/janet_smith.html
Humanae Vitae: A Challenge to Love, by Janet E. Smith, PhD (A sound argument for the prophetic importance of this decisive controversial encyclical)

Q) http://www.acton.org/publications/mandm/mandm_review_170.php  
Review Essay:  Challenging the Modern World: John Paul II/Karol Wojtyla and the Development of Catholic Social Teaching, Samuel Gregg, Review by Gregory R. Beabout (Good for pointing out some of the wider implications of the TOB)

R) http://www.nd.edu/Departments/Maritain/ti98/clavell.htm 
Karol Wojtyla's Integral Anthropology: An Invitation To Join Theology And Philosophy, Lluis Clavell (A more technical essay on Wojtyla’s Anthropology)

S) http://www.catholicculture.com/jp2_on_l&r.pdf 
John Paul ll On Love and Responsibility (An extensive summary overview of the terrain mapped out in this major book by Karol Wojtyla)

T) http://www.christendom-awake.org/pages/may/philanthropol.htm 
Philosophical Anthropology and EvangeliumVitae, William E. May (Excellent article by a major moral theologian)

U) http://home.comcast.net/~icuweb/c01300.htm 
The Moral Magisterium of John Paul ll, Msgr. William B. Smith (An extensive overview of John Paul ll’s contribution to ethics)

V) http://home.comcast.net/~icuweb/c00200.htm 
Introduction to Sexual Ethics, Janet E. Smith (A great apologist for the Church’s teaching about sex.)

W) http://home.comcast.net/~icuweb/c02600.htm 
Elements of Moral Theology, Romanus Cessario 
(Overview of Moral Theology by one of the most important moral theologians writing today.)

X) http://home.comcast.net/~icuweb/c03614.htm#n90 
Ressourcement theology, aggiornamento, and the hermeneutics of tradition Marcellino D'Ambrosio (A well written essay summarizing and making intelligible some of the tensions in Catholic Theology since the Council.)

Y) http://www.christendom-awake.org/pages/may/homosex.htm 
On the Impossibility of Same-Sex Marriage, William E. May (Articulate defense of heterosexual Marriage)

http://www.cssronline.org/CSSR/Archival/2001/Finnis_61-70.pdf  
Reason, Faith and Homosexual Acts, John Finnis (One of the world’s most important exponents of Natural Law ethics)

http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110004356 
One Man, One Woman, Robert P. George (A short piece by a Princeton Natural Law philosopher)

Z) http://www.kofc.org/publications/cis/catechism/index.cfm 
Searchable version of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. (Use search words like chastity, sexuality, body, man, woman etc)  

click here
to read Sr.Lucy's most recent article in the Journey

Renewing our Hope:  
Promise, Process and Grace
Retreat for the Separated and/or Divorced

14-15 May
Providence Spirituality Centre
1200 Princess Street, Kingston

begins on Friday evening and 
concludes on Saturday afternoon

Fee: 
$40 Commuter Package:
includes registration plus lunch and dinner on Saturday
$85 Overnight Package:
includes registration, breakfast, lunch and dinner on Saturday, plus Friday night accommodation

Facilitator:  Dolores Hall

To register please contact Sr. Lucy Kearney, SP
family@romancatholic.kingston.on.ca

What is Family Ministry?

Family Ministry is:

• supporting families at all stages of the life cycle
• providing ways of enriching household life by meeting educational, formational and Spiritual needs of families
• serving the diverse needs of all within the parish community
• promoting values of sacramental marriage - INCLUDING:
• - Marriage Preparation and 
• Early Years of Marriage
• - Marriage is a Sacrament
• - Marriage & Family
• - Conflict Resolution
• - Communication
• - Financial Considerations
• Parish Participation
• - Liturgy
• - Parish Councils
• - Committees
• - Parish Involvement
• - Ministry with Youth
• - Understanding of Adolescents
• - Participation in and Support of Activities
• - Sacramental Preparation
• - Care of Children
• - Parenting
• - Development of Prayer Life
• - Cooperation with Partners in Education
• - Sacramental Preparation
• - Parent Meetings
• - School Activities
• Support Groups
• - With those who are grieving in times of illness and death
• - With those who are unemployed
• - With care of the elderly
• - With separated and divorced
• - With single-parent families

It is imitating a process of education which will enable the laity of the Archdiocese to minister to families.

"The future of humanity passes by way of the family."

"It is therefore, indispensable and urgent that every person of good will should endeavor to save and foster the values and requirements of the family."

John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio

Development of Family Ministry

The 1990 Archdiocesan Seminar on Vision and Planning established Family Ministry and Ministry to Youth as top priorities for the Archdiocese. In response to this challenge, weekend seminars and workshops relative to Family Ministry were organized.

Included in these seminars were workshops in: Communication Skills, Parenting Skills, Family Prayer, Ministry to the Elderly, to Separated and Divorced, to Grieving Families, in Household Management, Coping with Unemployment and Sacramental Preparation.

The diocesan campaign Together In Faith provided additional support from the Archdiocese and enabled workshops and seminars to be expanded to several localities.

In May, 1993, His Grace Archbishop Spence granted permission for the forming of an Ad Hoc Committee for Family Ministry.

Under the guidance and participation of this committee and the sponsorship of the Office of Religious Education, further diocesan and deanery workshops were developed.

The role of the Coordinator of Family Ministry:

• initiate training programs and workshops at diocesan and parish level
• collaborate with parish leaders and organizations
• make parishes aware of resources
• encourage like-to-like ministry, e.g. marriage and family enrichment, parents ministering to parents, married couples to engaged couples

"Whatever the time in history, and whatever the challenges they face, families remain the foundation of society. If we lose sight of the family as our richest resource then our entire society is weakened."

Vanier Institute of the Family

How Do We Serve?

By Programs and Workshops

•  Family Enrichment Programs
•  MOMS: Ministry of Mothers Sharing (link to MOMS page)
•  Homes of Honor Parenting Series - Small Group Study
•  Provision of Resources for Parish Study Groups
•  NFP (Natural Family Planning). 
   For Info: Karen Keough 1-877-637-5486
• Updated Resources
• 2. Resources and Support for Pre-Marriage Courses (link to pre-marriage dates page)
• - Team Leader’s Workshops- FOCCUS Training (Facilitating Open Couple Communication, Understanding & Study)
•  Updated Resources (link to Resources)
• 3. Marriage Enrichment Programs
• - Marriage Encounter Weekend www.wwmecanada.org
• Homes of Honor Relationship Series - Small Group Study
• - Keys to Loving Relationships (Video Series for small groups)
• - REFOCCUS (Relationship Enrichment Facilitating Open Couple Communication, Understanding & Study)
• - Marriage Works - Successful Relationship Strategies - A Program for Couples. Counselor: Edward Shea M.Ed.M.SW.
• - Retrouvaille www.retrouvaille.org (Link to Retrouvaille page)
• - Updated Resources 
• 4. Support: New Life Groups 
• - www.ocsdc.org
• - Updated Resources 
• - Education
• - Outreach: Retreats, Conferences
• 5. Implementing and Support for Family Ministry at Parish Level

Parish Nursing

The role of the current parish nurse may help Christians to appreciate the role as an extension of the Church's healing ministry.

A historical perspective

The concept of Parish Nursing began in Europe. The role of a Christian deaconess in the early nineteenth century Germany from various congregations met the physical needs of the local Christians. Their role provides important historical roles for the Parish Nurse today. In the 1960’’s Rev. Granger Westburg, a Lutheran minister, in Chicago, introduced the term Parish Nursing, when he started opening holistic health centers in the churches in the mid-western area of the United States. These centers offered a whole-person approach to health through a team of a physician, pastor and nurse. The nurse served as an interpreter between the physician and the pastor. They had the knowledge from the humanities and sciences and could speak the language of both faith and medicine. They were the glue of keeping the body and soul together.Parish Nursing began spreading in Canada as early as 1992. Many nurses are currently active in this ministry. In 1998, the Salvation Army and the Catholic Health Association of Canada organized a conference call. The discussion focused on how to further parish nursing nationally as a way for the church to be involved in developing healthier communities. There have been annual conventions held in Canada since that time. At the last annual convention in May 2003, in Moncton, New Brunswick, the Canadian Association for Parish Nursing Ministry was given charitable status and is now a registered charity. Also, a draft for the Standards of Practice for Parish Nurses was received by the membership at this convention.

The members of Ad Hoc Committee for Parish Nursing have outlined the qualifications of a Parish Nurse. These qualifications include:

• A current certificate of competence from the College of Nurses of Ontario.
• A Registered Nurse with 10 years nursing experience and preferably 5years of recent experience in direct patient care.
• A course in Parish Nursing or Pastoral Health Care
• A baptized member of the faith community who feels called to this ministry.

OUR STORY: PARISH NURSING: A RURAL EXPERIENCE

By: Pauline Hogan

I have been employed at Kingston General Hospital as a full time Registered Nurse since 1982 where I worked as a staff nurse on a general surgery floor until 1998. During my last year on this unit I held a charge nurse position. When I became interested in Parish Nursing, I transferred to the Surgical Resource Pool to gain more experience in the different nursing specialties. My responsibilities include caring for patients in cardiology, general surgery, gynecology, orthopedics, and on occasion in Emergency and the Medical and Surgical step-down units.

In the summer of 1998, I read a notice in the Journey, from St. Francis Xavier University offering a course called "Parish Nursing." I, like many, had never heard of parish nursing. When I received the information from the University, I discovered that this was a part of the post R.N. BScN, Distance Education Program. I enrolled in the 12-week course under the sponsorship of the Archdiocese of Kingston.

After successfully completing the course in December 1998, I approached Fr. Ken Stitt, then Pastor of St. Patrick’s in Railton and St. Mary’s in Odessa, about starting a Parish Nurse Program for these parishes. He was very supportive and suggested I give a presentation on parish nursing at the Knights of Columbus meeting in January, 1999. As a result of the presentation, the Parish Health Council was formed. The members of the Council were a group of seven people who were already members of the health field or were just interested in the health of the parishioners. The Parish Health Council and the Parish Nurse Program came to an end following the sudden death of Fr. Stitt in June 2001.What was my role as a Parish Nurse?

Before initiating a Parish Nurse program, I had to consider the characteristics of this rural community. A small portion of its parishioners had been affiliated with the parish for generations. The community ranges from young families to the elderly. Employment opportunities were located in Kingston, business in the surrounding area, and farming. The number of parishioners increases during the summer months due to the number of summer residents located on the lakes in the area. We are privileged to have family physicians and nurse practitioners in the area, and the nearest health-care facility located in Kingston.

As a parish nurse, during this time, I had the privilege to be with people during many different events and situations. I got to know some of the parishioners well, which was a source of joy for me. The parish truly became a closer community and I truly felt the presence of God.

Besides visiting the sick of the parish, other projects of the Parish Nurse were:

• Providing monthly newsletters on health related topics
• Holding blood pressure clinics after Mass
• Organizing a CPR course for the parishioners
• Initiating a walking program
• Working closely with the Home Care Coordinators when necessary
• Assisting the Nurse Practitioner from the Medical Clinic of Sydenham and Verona at the Flu-shot clinics. Our role at these clinics was to assist with registration. A Parish Nurse is not allowed to do any hands on nursing or do any invasive procedures; so at these clinics this is how we helped our community. During these clinics, the CWL joined the Women’s Institute in providing refreshments, and the Knights of Columbus provided transportation for the parishioners if required.
• Collaboration with the Parish Nursing Team of Saint Mary’s Cathedral and with Sr. Lucy Kearney in the Family Ministry and the Family Life Office.The role of the Parish Health Council was to work as a team under the guidance of the Parish Nurse in these projects. They helped to organize these functions and collaborated with the CWL and the Knights of Columbus when required for these projects.
• The Parish Health Council, along with the Parish Nurse and the parish priest held monthly meetings to discuss these projects. Any project that was to be undertaken by the Council was approved first by the parish priest.

PARISH NURSING IN THE CITY

By: Cathy Allen

WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF PARISH NURSING FOR OUR DIOCESE?

The time seems right for promoting the concept of health promotion in our faith community. There are many nurses in Ontario and across Canada who are currently active in this ministry. Focus is shifting from high-tech tertiary care to preventive care. Greater attention is being given to ways people can take charge of their own well being as individuals and in communities. Professional nursing organizations are encouraging independent and expanded roles for nurses. Lack of funding from the government has lead to new development projects in the community and new partnerships between health care institutions, agencies, and community organizations. Churches are beginning to reclaim their heritage for providing people’s health related needs- spiritual, physical, mental, emotional, social and cultural.Our goals, with your support, for Parish Nursing in our diocese are:

• To educate the people of our diocese about Parish Nursing Ministry.
• To look at ways to financially support a Parish Nurse Program in our churches.
• To research and develop ways to educate Registered Nurses for the Parish Nursing Ministry

PARISH NURSE PRAYER

O Thou in whose great arms
All the children of earth are embraced,
Here in Thy presence 
we remember our kinship with all human kind.
We rejoice for those who are in full health and strength,
Whose ways are ways of pleasantness and peace.
Our hearts reach out toward those whose ways are ways of suffering of body, mind or soul.
May it be that thou shall find in us reaching out to them
Not only with our hearts but with our hands also,
To help them in the bearing of their burdens,
To help them in the lifting of their burdens.

Robert French Leavens