There is always lots to do at the last minute – checking talks, organising refreshments, getting children and the bigger kids organised. While the practical preparation is important, so too is your spiritual preparation.
Couple-to-Couple Mentoring/Small Group
Ensure you don’t neglect your Skin-to-Skin*. This is so important to your couple unity. Forget about the logistics and just spend 20 minutes connecting with each other. Your love is the sign that life-long marriage is possible and gives others hope and encouragement. We also encourage you to Pray-for-Passion* for your relationship throughout the course: if your passion is low, ask God to continue to work his miracles and rekindle your passion. Your witness will be different if you have spent time practicing Skin-to-Skin and Prayer-for-Passion. And the couple(s) will have a more powerful experience as a result of your spiritual preparation.
*Engage Mentors: Skin-to-Skin & Prayer-for-Passion are the spiritual exercises of the Celebrate Love Seminar.
Large Group Courses
Before you start: If you are part of a Mentor team hosting a large group course, you need to also consider your spiritual preparation as a team. Many teams meet before the course starts for fellowship, prayer and sometimes a meal. Perhaps attend Mass together. This is a very valuable practice but we do appreciate may not always be possible, especially when there are young children to be cared for. However, some time should be set aside for the team to connect in prayer together in the week before the course begins. If being physically together is not possible, have a teleconference. Pray especially for protection on the team, their families and the participants as it seems that sickness and mishap are common in the lead up to a course.
During the Course: Depending on how you have structured your sessions, look for opportunities to ground yourselves in prayer, perhaps at the beginning of each day before the couples arrive. Offer to God your concerns, fears, anxiety and invite God to work through you. After you have prayed together (either as a team or as a single Mentor couple) have a ‘connect cuddle’.
Course Debrief
This is another valuable time for spiritual growth. Thanksgiving for the graces of the course should be the starting point. It is a good practice to use some of this time to affirm each other, focusing especially on the sacramental charisms that were evident throughout the course. For individual Mentor couples, use the Sexual Affirmation exercise as a basis. For large group teams, abbreviate the Sacramental Affirmation exercise.
Luke & Vanessa Van Beek, Perth, Australia.