It is always such an amazing thing to be able to see God working in the intimacy of marriages. From the moment the team met Friday for dinner, until the moment we said good-bye to the Bolt’s and Fr. Jay, you could tell God was busy. He was busy making all the little details come together to make the facility be what we needed, when we needed it; to make the talks work upon the hearts of those who care enough about their marriages to take the time to make them better; to make the short nights be enough for us to face the long days ahead.

From one talk to the next, we could see the hearts of the couples be slowly moved from where they were to where He wanted them to be. With each exercise, you could see the knowledge gained to move forward and grow. With each opportunity for Confession, Adoration, Prayer, Mass, and especially Father praying over us in Polish; you could see the chains that were holding these marriages back slowly break away and let the love of our God in.

Here, two days later, I still feel immensely blessed to have been a part of the team this past weekend. I still feel blessed to have seen this retreat work wonders in my own, already good, marriage. I still feel blessed to have people like Father Jay, and Brad and Audrey Bolt as examples and reminders everyday of how to live out the vocation I have been called to. But, most of all, I feel blessed to have learned so many ways to be able to easily see the love of our Heavenly Father  through the love of the husband He has given me.

Daniele O’Toole

was the first Person I hurried to meet. What other place can compete with Her shrine?

Beatriz Gonzales, “our inside (wo)man in Mexico”, together with her husband Pepe have taken care of all the details to make our Program possible in Mexico. Since Pepe is at work, Beatriz picks me up from the airport and we go the Church on the top of the hill, built in the place where St Juan Diego met Our Lady.

The Mass that I celebrate on that day is in English and Spanish. I’m surprised to hear that people in the church give their answers in English. They turn out to be Mexicans, but living in Atlanta, USA. They wouldn’t have thought they’d have the opportunity to participate in the Mass celebrated in English.

I visit all the places on the hill, taking time to pray. I spend the longest while in the Basilica in front of the icon of Our Lady. It is my dream to be able to celebrate the Mass here one day. I remember that when I was here for the first time, celebrating the Mass even at the side altar was not possible without difficulty. My hosts of that time somehow made it possible for me.

We finish our meeting with Our Lady after 6 p.m. and go over to the parish house where I’ll stay and where the couple retreat will be held. Then we have supper at the hospitable house of Beatriz and Pepe (two minutes’s walk from the parish house) – and we’re joined by our friends – Pilar with her husband and daughter; we parted only two weeks ago in Omaha. Then it’s time for sleep.

The former carer of the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe