Home / News & Publications / Michigan Catholic News / 2010 / Valentine's Day event to be a celebration of marriage
Valentine's Day event to be a celebration of marriage
by Kristin Lukowski of The Michigan Catholic
Published January 29, 2010
World Marriage Day
- Sunday, Feb. 14, 3-8 p.m. at San Marino Club, 1685 E. Big Beaver, Troy
- $55 per couple before Feb. 6, $65 per couple after. Register and pay at worldmarriageday.org. No walk-ins. Call Waldens at (586) 838-4447 or e-mail for more information.
- Guest speakers Teresa Tomeo Pastore and her husband, Dominick
- Sponsored by National Marriage Encounter, Worldwide Marriage Encounter, Retrouvaille, BLD Philippines, and Encuentro Matrimonial Mundial.
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STERLING HEIGHTS — After more than 45 years of marriage, Rich and Fran Walden have a few tips for keeping a marriage strong.
Don't focus on the negative things about your partner; communicate, and try to understand your partner; put yourself in your partner's place; and most of all, be kind to your spouse.
And forgiveness is huge, because somewhere along the way you're going to hurt that person.
But a strong marriage is cause for celebration, and celebration is what's on tap for this year's World Marriage Day dinner, dancing and prayer evening. "Men are from a galaxy far, far away; women are from heaven knows where!" is the theme of this year's archdiocesan World Marriage Day, sponsored by several marriage ministries in the archdiocese.
The Waldens, organizers and National Marriage Encounter representatives, said the event is for newlyweds, those married for decades, and even engaged couples. "It's a celebration of marriage," said Rich, 70.
The Waldens agree that a marriage takes a lot of work and dedication, and special time out for each other, considering all the crises and conflicts that can affect a couple's relationship. "If you don't try to enrich your marriage, you'll take each other for granted," Fran, 69, said.
"If you can get through the toughest time in your marriage, it will make it stronger," she continued. "If you have a strong marriage, no wedge can come between you. I feel like we can handle anything."
The couple, who live in Sterling Heights, have three children and eight grandchildren.
The day itself has been going on since the early 1980s in Baton Rouge, La., as We Believe in Marriage Day. In 1993, Pope John Paul II put his apostolic blessing on what had become World Marriage Day, making it the second Sunday in February. The Waldens, members of St. Anastasia Parish, Troy, attended a smaller event years ago as an interested couple after it came to Detroit, and not long afterward, they got involved with the organizational side, even adding dancing and music to the lineup to make it more of an enjoyable night out.
"We knew then we had to help continue it in this area," Fran said. "This has been so special to us."
As the day is sponsored by various marriage ministries, information is available to those who want to participate in special events or weekend retreats, although there's no pressure. The Waldens agree they like to see young couples participate in World Marriage Days, as they waited until they'd been married for 17 years before attending a marriage encounter weekend, and could have reaped the benefits that many years sooner.
The beauty of growing in your marriage, Fran said, is trying to please each other, getting up every day and thinking about what you can do for your spouse. And although every marriage is faced with challenges, hearing that other people have faced those challenges and gotten through them — at events such as World Marriage Day — could give hope to couples who are facing those troubles.
"It's just like a garden," Rich said of a marriage. "You plant, but you have to weed. You have to maintain it."
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