The Family Center of the Latin Patriarchate in Haifa, hosted a spiritual retreat for couples titled "Renewing Our Faith in the Sacrament of Our Marriage," Led by Father Zaki Sader, a Jesuit priest, Lecturer in Humanities at Saint Joseph University - Beirut, and founder of the Spiritual Arts Center. Eleven couples from Haifa, Nazareth and Galilee participated in the retreat, which focused on interaction and mutual sharing among the couples.
The retreat began with an introductory session, followed by a series of individual exercises for the couples, including contemplation, writing, sharing, and prayer. The sessions focused on the divine nature of the sacred sacrament of marriage, considering it a covenant founded on free love and God's initiative that unites two people, making it much more than just a human contract between two parties.
Fr. Zaki encouraged the couples to reflect on and reconsider the divine plan that leads and strengthens their marital relationship throughout different stages of life. He also urged them to reflect on the strengths and weaknesses in their relationships and to think about practical strategies to help them face crises and overcome difficult moments.
During the retreat, the couples expressed their immense satisfaction with the experience, with some sharing their personal stories:
Ahlam and Elias Khalil from Fasota: "The retreat was deep and beautiful, enhancing communication between us as couples and adding new dimensions to our relationship. The session included reflections and questions that helped us evaluate our marriage life, as well as practical tools to improve communication in a warm and spontaneous atmosphere."
Christine and Lawrence Khoury from Haifa: "Our meeting with Fr. Zaki was truly special. He invited us as a couple to explore our marital and family life more deeply, and through the retreat, we rediscovered our first love. We discussed how we can live this love in our daily lives. We returned home with a renewed spirit, eager to live with a covenantal and eternal love—one that does not seek to answer the question, 'Who is right?' but live the truth through mercy and forgiveness."
The retreat concluded with a collective prayer for the blessing of couples and families, asking God to fill their lives with love and grace, and strengthen their bond in the sacred covenant.
