Dear Marriage Encounter family,
On this special day, we come to you with hearts full of gratitude, hope, and enthusiasm. We are Jorge, Almudena, and Father Siniša, and we have been called to serve as the new European Ecclesial Team for the next three years. It is an honour and a responsibility that we assume with humility and with the firm conviction that, together, we can grow a garden of love, understanding, and spiritual growth throughout Europe.
Allow us to introduce ourselves briefly. We, Jorge and Almudena, have been married for 25 years and we have two children. Our journey in Marriage Encounter began 21 years ago when we lived our first weekend. Since then, our lives have been deeply intertwined with this wonderful community. For the past four years, we had the privilege of guiding the National Community of Spain, an experience that has greatly enriched us and prepared us for this new challenge at the European level.
I am Siniša Preiner, diocesan priest of Varaždin diocese in the very northern part of Croatia. I have been a priest for 11 years now. And regarding myself, all I can say that there is nothing special about me. If I may say in medical terms, I am a general practice priest. I am currently parish priest in a parish called Pitomača, and other part of my priesthood has been devoted to Marriage Encounter. Since my Deeper weekend in 2016, my decision after that weekend was that “anywhere Marriage Encounter community needs me, I will go.” I must say that in my wildest dreams I didn’t imagine that would be sitting alongside Jorge and Almudena for this ministry. But, if God called me to serve Him in this role, and my bishop gave me his blessing for it, I said that with God’s help I would say ‘yes’. And little by little we, as ecclesial team, are getting to know each other, and little by little I hope to get to know you also.
As we embark on this new chapter in our lives and in the history of Marriage Encounter in Europe, we would like to share with you a story that we believe captures the essence of our vision for the community:
«Once upon a time there was a group of friends who lived in a small town. Each of them had a special gift, but they felt insecure and didn’t know how to use it to make a difference in the world.
One day they decided to get together to find a way to use their talents to help others. After much thought and discussion, they finally came up with an idea: to create a small community garden in the centre of the city where people could grow their own vegetables and herbs.
One of the friends was an expert gardener and took on the planning and design of the garden. Another was an artist who created a beautiful welcome sign for the garden. Yet another was a chef and offered to share healthy and delicious recipes with the garden participants.
Together, they started working on the garden. They prepared the soil, planted seeds, built fences and information boards. More and more people joined the project, some bringing their own talents, others simply helping with simple tasks.
The garden quickly became a popular place for the community. People enjoyed working in the garden and watching their plants grow. In addition, they began to share their own vegetables and herbs with others. The garden not only provided fresh, healthy food, it also united the community in a unique way.
Over time, the community garden has become a meeting place where people share stories, make new friends and learn from each other. It became a place of inspiration where people felt motivated to explore and develop their own talents.
Community members learned that each of them had something valuable to offer the world and that by coming together and sharing their gifts, they could make a big difference. So, they continued to work together in the garden, creating a stronger and more connected community than ever before.”
This is just a story, but it reveals the fundamental ideas of our dream for the European Community of Marriage Encounter. A large garden of countries sharing their strengths and resources for the common good. Just like in the garden in the story, we believe that each member of our community has unique gifts that, when nurtured and shared, can transform lives and strengthen our bonds.
In this spirit, we invite all of you to take one of the tools you feel most comfortable with: it could be a shovel to prepare the ground for new initiatives, a rake to reap the fruits, a measuring tape to evaluate how the community is moving forward, a pot to cook up fresh ideas, or even just pen and paper to draw the seeds of new projects. Interconnected through a long LAN cable of love and commitment, we believe that all together we can create something truly extraordinary.
Our symbol
Speaking of LAN cables, we’d like to share with you the symbol we’ve chosen to represent our team and our vision. At first glance, it might seem like rather technical and dull, but for us it holds a profound meaning for our mission. And here is why:
In a world today when we tend to focus on wireless connections, on 5G speeds over the cellular networks, when WIFI has become some sort of staple, we chose cable. Why? Because not even a 1000€ WIFI access point or router can match the reliability of a LAN cable. That is why all the major internet connections are still done with cable today. In a way, the cable represents going back to tradition, to rediscover the roots of Marriage Encounter, to find out what it is that connects us as a couple, what it is that connects priests with the community. In a way we want to look back on the reliability which has shaped Marriage Encounter as it is today.
Now, if we wanted to remain solely on tradition, we could have chosen any cable as long as it was functional. But we chose LAN (or internet) cable. The Internet is a miracle of the modern age. Through our cable we want to connect tradition and innovation. Staying and continuing to build on our roots, but in this modern society. That’s what LAN cable means to us. Notice that we didn’t opt for optical cable or for ancient LAN cable. We chose an ordinary Cat6 cable, meaning we don’t want to be too modern. Because, what’s the point of having great capacity for speed while you can process a fraction of it? And, on the other end, everybody knows how frustrating it is to have low-speed internet.
Another feature is that, from the outside, it looks like a single item, but, if you cut it open, there’s another world hiding under the plastic shield. A number of different wires which make data flow possible. We won’t go too much into the technical details, but basically each and every wire, lined up correctly, will have data flowing through flawlessly. Each wire is in charge of either transmitting or receiving data or signals. And all those 8 wires are grouped in four colours, which remind us of what we envision as a team.
The first pair of wires is orange. Orange colour is linked to optimism, energy, creativity and fun. As a team, we are looking at the ME community optimistically. And since this community is built on love, love is always creative and knows how to light up those seemingly boring situations. As a team we want to stimulate creativity, optimism and fun.
The second pair of wires is green. Green colour symbolizes growth, renewal, harmony, interdependence, and it’s also a sign of hope. We are aware that the mission which ME has entrusted us – we can’t do it alone. We need you and we want to grow in our love for ME with you by our side.
The third pair of wires is blue. Blue is the colour of the sky and the sea. It is considered the least material colour. It represents meanings of depth, trust, loyalty, fidelity, faith. Since blue colour points towards the beyond, the infinite, it reminds us of the presence of God in our daily lives. It encourages us to experience the sacrament and be open to God’s actions in us as a community, as a team and as individuals. It’s also a cue to foster fidelity and trust within the community and among us as a team.
The fourth pair of wires is brown. Brown is the colour of land, soil, and it represents stability, resilience, honesty and unity. And if you combine all three other colours (orange, blue and green) you get brown. In a way this colour challenges us to work on unity. On the other hand, brown is the colour which represents lack of emotions, like an enormous desert. And we don’t want to build our service solely on emotions but rather on our decisions to love; which are at the core of our mission.
Altogether there is the cable. But we would like to highlight one more element. Although wires are the ones carrying a signal between two devices, there is one more important thing inside the LAN cable. And that is the star filler (it’s a plastic separator between the pair sets). It’s designed to stop crosstalk between twisted pairs allowing for greater speeds over longer distances. It is basically “a backbone” that ensures longevity and durability of the cable. And as our “backbone” we want to have the Holy Spirit. We want to be able to listen to his voice, his guidance, so that the signal of love can flow through our wires and we remain faithful to Him and the mission of ME.
A challenging journey
We are aware of the challenges we face. Each country has a different reality, and solutions cannot be applied in the same way everywhere. Marriage Encounter can sometimes seem like a heavy structure, difficult to move, and changes are not always welcome. We need to evolve and ensure that both veterans and newcomers have a sense of belonging. We recognize that there are different rhythms within the same community and that a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work for everyone. We are also realistic about the time and resource limitations of all of us.
However, we also see great opportunities. The online world offers new possibilities for collaboration and growth. Technology allows us to share information and resources more efficiently. And most importantly, we feel a shared spirit of openness to change and a common desire to strengthen our community.
We believe that what Europe needs at this moment is an ecclesial team very much in touch with society and with a high degree of commitment to the Marriage Encounter Community. A team with a deep knowledge of the foundations of ME, but at the same time knows how to think «outside the box» and is not afraid to take on challenges to try innovative projects. A team that cares about the needs of each country in particular and promotes common actions.
Our commitment to you is to work tirelessly to nurture and grow this garden that is Marriage Encounter Europe. We will strive to be attentive to the needs of each «plant» in our garden, whether it’s a couple, a priest, or a national community. We will seek ways to promote unity in diversity, recognizing that the beauty of our garden lies precisely in the variety of flowers that compose it.
Like the friends in our story, who discovered that their individual talents could create something beautiful when working together, we invite each of you to share your gifts with our bigger community. Whether you are good at organization, communication, technology, spirituality, or simply a heart willing to serve, there is a place for you in our community garden.
As we embark on this three-year journey, we ask for your support, your prayers, and your active participation. Together, we can cultivate a Marriage Encounter that is a beacon of hope and love in a world that so desperately needs it. We trust in the Lord and in the guidance of the Holy Spirit to carry out this mission.
May our community garden bloom with the love, understanding, and grace that are the hallmark of Marriage Encounter. May each of us find in it a place to grow, to serve, and to experience God’s transforming love.
With love, hope, and gratitude,
Shalom
Jorge, Almudena, and Father Siniša
European Ecclesial Team 2023-2026