By Justine John Dyikuk
No fewer than 117 copules were recently hosted to a delightful dinner with health and spiritual messages geared towards personal and ecclesial growth.
The event which took place on Sunday 5, June at Saint John the Baptist’s Cathedral Gboko, Gboko Diocese in Benue State, North Central Nigeria, was motivated by the desire to get couples to understand the place of the Holy Spirit in marriage.
The Cathedral Administrator and organizer, Father Richard Mgbanngun disclosed that the Bishop’s parish wanted Catholic couples to learn how to hangout together and relax, heal from hurts they have been harbouring in their marriages and learn about general health issues which affects them.
In his presentation titled “General Health Issues which Affect Married Couples,” Dr. Steven Ameh took the participants through personal hygiene and the need to seek medical attention concerning barrennes and sterility.
On his part, Father Mgbanngun who spoke on theme “The Place of the Holy Spirit in Marriage” called on all married people to develop a habit of prayer saying “a family that prays together, stays together.”
Speaking about the outcome of the event, the cleric disclosed that “the couples’ dinner was super successful; we give thanks to God Almighty.”
He also expressed appreciation to the Bishop of Gboko Diocese, Most Reverend William Avenya “who has deep love for couples and celebrates them at the Diocesan level annually” while thanking “all the couples that came out for this sit out” as well as “all the departments that contributed to making this celebration a success.”
In their separate reactions, some of the participants noted that, “for the past 20 years, this is the first time we are sitting out together as husband and wife ….”
Others said, “Fr, you have given us an example, tell our husbands to keep to this; they should learn to take us out at least once a month.”