On Friday, September 27, 2024, the Family Center of the Latin Patriarchate held the first meeting of its kind for engaged couples at the Seminary of Beit Jala. Twenty-five young men and women from various Palestinian parishes participated in this comprehensive day of learning, aimed at equipping young couples in building strong marriages.
The program began with an introductory session that helped participants become familiar with one another. Then, Fr. Iyad Twal, Executive Vice President of Bethlehem University, addressed the humanitarian aspects of engagement, emphasizing mutual support within couples and their communities. This was followed by a lecture from Mr. Osama Khalileh, a professor of business administration at Bethlehem University, who discussed the financial challenges newlyweds often face and offered practical tools for effective home management.
After a lunch break, Msgr. William Shomali, General Vicar, led a Mass at Our Lady of the Annunciation Church in Beit Jala, with the participation of several priests and seminary students.
In his homily, Msgr. Shomali expressed joy in meeting the future families of the Church and reminded them of the significance of their journey toward holiness and fulfilling God’s purpose. In his reading from the Book of Ecclesiastes, he emphasized the concept of time and the necessity of managing it, highlighting the phrase "everything has a time." To illustrate this idea, he selected five couples to explore and compare how this concept can be applied to the lives of future couples.
This pioneering meeting serves as a vital steppingstone for couples, encouraging them to build God-centered families and preparing them to face future challenges. It emphasizes the importance of strong foundations, reflecting the belief that “what God has joined together, man cannot separate” (Matthew 19:6), and that without divine guidance, “the builders labor in vain” (Psalm 127).
