The World Meeting of Families is an all-encompassing congress that embraces the complexities that make up each family, including divorce. There is no elephant in the room because here everyone is welcome to the merciful message of the Church — love.
Monica and Vince Frese made the trip to WMF from Atlanta, Georgia for one specific reason, to offer compassion and healing to divorced individuals. Vince founded the program in the Diocese of Atlanta in 2007 as a result of his own painful experience.
“He has a heart to heal divorced individuals and share with them the richness and fullness of our faith,” Monica said. “We attempt to bring the face of divorced Catholics into the world. We may look different, but we’re still a family.”
The couple from St. Brendan the Navigator Parish in Comming, Georgia have a sacramental marriage and want others to know they are not forgotten by offering hope and compassion.
Their booth in the convention center downtown was surrounded by lay and religious receiving information about their Catholic divorce recovery program that uses Catholic doctrine and teaching designed to help individuals recover, rebuild, and renew their lives after divorce.
The Divorced Catholic program can be used by parishes or individually and includes online workshops and daily inspiration messages. www.divorcedcatholic.com
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There are so many awesome events, speeches and attractions to write about, including how more than 200 students from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and corporate volunteers participated today in a Day of Service.
The convention center was filled with volunteers who donned hair nets all for the Helping Hands initiative, a partnership with Catholic Relief Services and Stop Hunger Now.
Over the course of three days, volunteers will pack and send more than 200,000 meals to families in need in West Africa and provide canned goods to local residents.
Lacey Powers came with 60 other students from John W. Hallahan Catholic Girls School to help in the effort. Powers said having the Holy Father in her state was “amazing.”
Follow Gina Keating on Twitter at @Keatingrus.
