Couples revive bonds after marriage boot camp

Thursday, May 9th, 2024

More than 1.5 million couples globally have transformed their marriages after attending The Marriage Course, a marriage boot camp.

Recently, fifteen couples marked the end of their transformative journey as they received blessings and celebrated the culmination of the seven-week course at Ryde Gladesville Catholic Parish near Sydney, Australia.

Led by parish priest Fr Greg Morgan and assistant priest Fr Dan Drum, the Mass and dinner honoured the couples’ commitment to revitalising their relationships through The Marriage Course.

The marriage boot camp, developed by Alpha International, originates from the Sydney Centre for Evangelisation’s Life, Marriage and Family Team and aims to reignite marital bonds.

Fr Dan commended the couples for investing in their marriages, stating “It’s wonderful that these couples are making this investment into their marriage so that it can be all they want it to be and all God wants it to be”.

Refocus on reshaping marriage

44-year-old Phillipa Manley shared her motivation for bringing the course to her parish. “Steve and I have four kids aged 10 to 18 and were so busy being mum and dad we had forgotten how to be husband and wife. That’s the basis of this course—that prioritising your relationship is the best thing for your family” she explained.

Participants experienced transformative discussions during the course’s “date night” where they engaged in intimate conversations facilitated by thought-provoking videos.

Mandy (62) and Richard (66) Cuneo have been married for 39 years. Now both retired, they realised they “had to refocus on reshaping our marriage” said Mandy.

“It fit where we were in our lives. There was just the two of us at home. It was worth a try” said Richard.

“It wasn’t what we expected, it wasn’t lectures” said Mandy. “The course makes each of our relationships the focus and that is what we lose in the busy-ness of modern life. The date-night is a big part of the course” said Mandy.

Reflecting on the course’s impact, Fr Dan emphasised the growth he observed in the couples attending.

“Before the course I spoke to the couples and got to know them. After it ended, I could see the change and the growth in them” he said.

Fr Dan also found the marriage boot camp helpful, as priests are often consulted by couples.

“It’s always good to know the elements of a good Catholic marriage, the challenges couples face and how to deal with those challenges. It helped me better accompany them on their journey” he said.