Bishop Denis Nulty (pictured) addressed representatives of Accord from throughout the island of Ireland on 7 October in the historic and beautiful College Chapel of Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth. Amongst those present were new graduates in marriage facilitation (ie preparation), and in marriage counselling.
At the special gathering, Bishop Nulty, who is President of the Catholic marriage support service Accord CLg, said, “Pope Francis reminds us in his new Apostolic Exhortation, Laudate Deum that our care for one another and our care for the earth are intimately bound together.
“Care is at the heart of what Accord does. Care for the young couples preparing for the sacrament of marriage, care for that couple whose relationship has become entangled, care for the individual who is uncertain who the person is they once fell in love with and maybe who they are themselves”.
Bishop Nulty continued, “Accord is grounded in the community, in the parish, in the local, that’s the strength of who we are. Our Marriage Preparation Programme is but one step of many along that catechumenal pathway. A pathway where Accord and others will continue to support couples and families through accompaniment and counselling work”.
The Bishop of Kildare & Leaighlin said, “I warmly congratulate our ten graduates who will work in the area of counselling. You will work in seven centres in Accord Clg and two centres in Accord NI Clg. Twelve graduates will work in the area of marriage facilitation, in eight centres in Accord Clg, two will work in Accord Dublin Clg and one in Accord NI Clg. Nothing brings a greater joy and a boost to a centre than a new member joining. I know the eighteen centres will also warmly welcome every one of you. A couple of centres have more than one joining, they will be doubly blessed! The recent pandemic has depleted some of our centres of valuable and experienced personnel, all the more why all of you graduating today will be made most welcome.”
ENDS
