Some 600 couples attend Mass promoted by Marriage Encounter in Tejgaon parish. Auxiliary Bishop Shorot Francis Gomes told the newlyweds “to set aside at least ten minutes each day to listen to each other.”
Dhaka (AsiaNews) – Catholic couples celebrated World Wedding Day yesterday, Valentine's Day.
The event, which was held in Dhaka’s Tejgaon parish, was organised by the local chapter of Worldwide Marriage Encounter (WME), a Church-based organisation.
“We work to ensure that newlyweds can live their married lives with joy and peace”, said Robi Alexander Dorse, a member of WME Bangladesh.
Some 600 people took part in the celebrations, wearing traditional sari and panjabi (kurta), all in red.
Upon arrival, each couple received a red rose as well as tokens of love with the words “love does respect” “Love does trust”, “Love does accept”, “Love does waiting”, “Love brings peace”, “Love gives happiness” etc.
Auxiliary Bishop Shorot Francis Gomes of Dhaka led the Mass. In the past, he served at Marriage Encounter.
“Before marriage ,” he told the newlyweds in his homily, “I always see men running after women. Then, a month or two passes and the husband no longer listens to his wife... Married life should not be like that.”
“Marriage is a holy sacrament that makes you one. For this reason, it will be made joyful by love, forgiveness, respect, tolerance and trust,” said the prelate.
To make it work, “I call on couples to set aside at least ten minutes each day to listen to each other. Share sorrows and joys. And know how to start every new day with forgiveness.”
Some of the couples present shared their joy with AsiaNews. “The fact that I wear a red panjabi and my wife a red sari makes us one heart,” said Liton Corraya.
“This is an opportunity to renew the pledge made during the wedding to love one another in poverty and illness,” added Mala Gomes, a mother of two who, who, together with her husband, also participates in other initiatives promoted by Marriage Encounter.