Dhaka (AsiaNews) - "Living according to the teachings of Christ, reciting the rosary and respecting one another, always," are the secret of a happy marriage, this according to two Catholic couples who just celebrated their golden and silver wedding anniversary respectively.
The two couples told their stories at the 13th annual pastoral assembly of the Diocese of Rajshahi, an event that was held at the Khristajyoti Pastoral Centre on 10-13 September. The topic of the day was 'Evangelisation in Christian families'.
"Marriage is a sacrament that is the source of God's grace," said Mgr George Kocherry, apostolic nuncio to Bangladesh, one of the first speakers at the meeting. "The Lord instituted marriage as an indissoluble union between a man and a woman," he explained, "and even Jesus does not allow for the separation of husband and wife because what God has joined together, man cannot divide it."
"Nowadays, married couples face many problems," said Benedict Murmu, a lay member of the Diocesan Commission for the Family. "Children do not respect their parents, and drug abuse is becoming a challenge for families. To overcome these difficulties, husbands and wives can draw on the example of Joseph and Mary."
For Mgr Gervas Rozario, bishop of Rajshahi, "Being a family firmly grounded in the Christian faith means upholding the bond of love, unity, sharing, forgiveness and self-sacrifice".