Tagle, Villegas to keynote 2nd Marriage Encounter Congress

MANILA, April 26,2015 –- Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio G. Cardinal Tagle and Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas will address nearly a thousand delegates, faith-based groups’ representatives, academicians, social scientists and concerned citizens during the 2nd Marriage Encounter Foundation of the Philippines (MEFP) National Congress on July 25 at the Century Park Hotel, Manila.

Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio G. Cardinal Tagle (Photo: CBCPNews)

Villegas, who also heads the Archdiocese of Lingayen–Dagupan, will speak at 10:00 a.m. on “Proclaiming the Gospel of the Family Today in Various Contexts”, while Tagle is expected to provide insights on measures to further enrich and strengthen the Filipino family. He will speak after the roundtable discussion and summary of the seven topics shortly before 6:00 p.m. He will also preside over the concelebrated Mass.

Synod-inspired

MEFP President couple Robert and Tinette Aventajado, in an interview with CBCP News, said the whole day event has “The Gospel of the Family Today” as its theme, which is taken from the Lineamenta of the forthcoming Synod on the Family.

“We hope to formulate motions for the coming Synod of Bishops scheduled at the Vatican from October 4–25, 2015,” the Aventajado couple said. They added the Congress will provide a venue for common study and reflection on a number of pastoral issues affecting Filipino families today.

They also hope to formulate marital and family enrichment programs that can be implemented by faith-based groups across the country.

Relevant Topics

The Aventajado couple said there will be four simultaneous topics up for discussions in the morning:

“Pastoral Care for Couples Civilly Married or Living Together” with Fr. Dominador G. Guzman, Jr., Ssp;

“Caring for Wounded Families (Separated, Divorced and not Remarried, Divorced and Remarried and Single-Parent Families) with Loyola School of Theology Professor Rex M. Mananzan, SJ;

“Pastoral Attention towards Persons with Homosexual Tendencies” with Courage Philippines Spiritual Director Fr. Daniel Healy; 

and

“The Transmission of Life and the Challenge of Declining Birthrate” to be discussed by Mitos Rivera, executive director of Institute for Reproductive Health – Philippines.

During the afternoon session, there will be three different but equally-important topics which include “Guiding Engaged Couples in their Preparation for Marriage” to be discussed by Fr. Benito B. Tuazon, MEFP National Spiritual Director and “Accompanying Married Couples in the Initial Years of Marriage” with MEFP founder, Fr. Ruben M. Tanseco, SJ.

Caritas Manila’s executive director and Radio Veritas President Fr. Anton C. T. Pascual will discuss “Upbringing and the Role of the Family in Evangelization.”

Early bird registration

The event comes a couple of months before the XIV Ordinary General Assembly (Synod of Bishops) on issues and concerns about the family.

The speakers’ presentation will be sent to confirmed delegates before the Congress to allow them to study and formulate questions or even write their own position papers, which may be submitted during the whole-day event.

A minimal fee of Php 2,600 will be charged per delegate and is inclusive of Congress materials, meals and fellowship. For early bird registrants, a 50% discount will be extended to MEFP members, while a 20% discount will be given non-MEFP members.

The Aventajado couple further said a special fee arrangement will be extended to a limited number of qualified delegates. Everyone should register and pay on or before June 25, 2015 to avail of the discounts.

For other information, interested parties may log into www.mefp.info (Melo M. Acuña/CBCPNews)