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Madrid Marriage & Family Forum: The Engagement Period Before Marriage
Written by UPF - Spain
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Madrid, Spain - The third seminar in the Marriage and Family series focused on the engagement period. The coordinator of the initiative, Mrs. Mercedes González, introduced the March 21 program by talking about the importance of maintaining one's virginity while preparing for marriage.
"Sexual abstinence is the best choice for youth, since it helps them avoid many problems," she said. "Our purity as the best legacy for our future generations." She gave advice on helping young people focus on developing their relationship with God, understanding human relationships, learning communication skills, and building healthy relationships.
The Chorus for Peace sang “If Only Two Songs Were Enough.”
A Catholic priest from the Dominican Order was the first speaker. Fr. Dr. Niceto Blázquez earned a doctorate in philosophy and has written more than ten books. He is a medical psychologist and university professor. He explained about the Latin origin of the Spanish word “novio/a” (fiancé/ée). Falling in love and the emotional dimensions of a relationship are emphasized in movies, but he said that romantic love is not lasting. Love is an effort and needs to be cultivated. Then he gave many examples of contemporary relationships and what kind of preparation period is helpful in establishing a lasting marriage. A toast to peace and marriage followed his presentation.
National Director of UPF-Spain, Armando Lozano Hernández, gave a presentation about the Bering Strait project that promotes building a crossing over the narrow waterway separating the Eastern and Western Hemispheres as a metaphor and concrete method for bringing together the divided human family.
The second speaker was a psychologist and president of the association "Unidos por la Vida," Mrs. Pilar Gutiérrez. She gave many insights into the impact of abortion on women and handed out educational materials. Her organization arranges for adoptive parents for unwanted babies.
The chorus sang another beautiful song called “Joy," creating a special atmosphere.
Awards were presented in recognition of large families. Flor María, whose parents came from Colombia and had four children, talked about how her mother had to raise the children by herself after her husband died and how she worked very hard to give all of them a university education.
Awards were presented to the speakers of the day, with deep appreciation for their support for moral values and the family as the first institution in society and as founded by God.
Manuel Campillo, a UPF Family Counselor, summarized the main points of the presentations, and discussions continued over refreshments.
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