During mid January 2010 I was in Jakarta, Indonesia to attend the week long Annual World Council of Worldwide Marriage Encounter to build up and protect the sacraments of marriage and of priesthood.
I attended representing the Pacific along with Brett and Shelly Green of Auckland. We form the Pacific Ecclesial Team representing Marriage Encounter in Australia, NZ, Fiji [which includes Tutu and the dedicated work of Michael McVerry and the Marriage Encounter couples who work with him] and Solomon Islands.
Five other ecclesial teams representing Asia, [from the Philippines] Europe [French couple with Spanish priest], Pan Africa [from the Cameroons], Latin America [from Argentina] and North America also attended. Every year throughout the world nearly 60,000 married couples and 400 priests in over 95 countries attend a Marriage Encounter Weekend. It is spreading this year to Beijing and Cuba and Romania and especially among Hispanics in the USA and to other places.
Indonesian Marriage Encounter were extraordinary hosts; so many smiling generous people. The welcome and hospitality was humbling in a country of 250 million people, 90% Muslim. The Sunday Mass I went to in Jakarta was packed, over 1000 parishioners and much Catholic faith was evident. God is alive. – Carl Telford