Nominations being sought for 2016 longest married couple

The annual search for the longest married couple project sponsored by Worldwide Marriage Encounter, the original faith-based marriage enrichment program in this country, enters the family Christmas and New Year’s season with nominations having been received from the majority of states and territories.
“As we have done the last five years, Worldwide Marriage Encounter will honor the national longest married couple as well as the longest married couple from each state and territory. Based on what we are currently seeing, many family members, along with longtime friends, are nominating couples for the award,” said Dick and Diane Baumbach and Fr. Dick Morse, the coordinators for the project. “We know that traditionally families get together during the holiday period…a perfect time to nominate parents or grandparents who have been married for a long time.”

Couples can also nominate themselves for the recognition.

“We plan to continue an added feature to this project by sending a special letter of recognition to each couple nominated so that they and their families can highlight the achievement of their long marriage. The letters will be sent during the 2016 Valentine’s season,” the coordinators said.

Plans call for Joe and Sue Talarico and Fr. Tom Ogg, Worldwide Marriage Encounter’s United States Ecclesial Team, to personally present the longest married couple with special gifts from the Worldwide Marriage Encounter movement during the February 2016 Valentine’s Week.  The winners will be presented their certificates of achievement along with other gifts by Worldwide Marriage Encounter couples.

Nominations, which are open to all husband and wife couples regardless of faith expression, may be submitted by email to CNMI Area Ecclesial Team.

The contact information for sending in a nomination, which simply requires the name of the couple, their wedding date and where they currently reside (village) plus a phone or email address for the individual nominating them, is as follows: Charles and Cathy Cepeda (csablancepeda@gmail.com or 483-7000) or Fr. Ike Ayuyu (ikeayuyu@gmail.com or 483-4543).  Nominations must be received by Jan. 10, 2016.

Worldwide Marriage Encounter has been offering weekend experiences for over 47 years and is considered the original faith-based marriage enrichment program. The programs are continually updated to keep abreast of changes in society, and WWME now offers evening and half-day programs that are presented at parishes and other church facilities. The weekend program, traditionally presented as an overnight experience at a hotel or retreat center, can also be presented at the parish where the couples return to their homes in the evenings. WWME has a presence in almost 100 countries, which makes it the largest pro-marriage movement in the world. In North America, the WWME programs are presented in English, Spanish, French, and Korean languages.

Worldwide Marriage Encounter offers married couples the opportunity to spend time together away from the busyness of the world to focus on each other. It offers tools for building and maintaining a strong, Christian marriage in today’s world. To learn more about the Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekends online, go to wwme.org, or call WWME CNMI Area Ecclesial Team: Charles and Cathy Cepeda at 483-7000 or Fr. Ike Ayuyu at 483-4543. (WWME)