On the weekend of October 11-13, 2024, we came together with 5 participating couples and a beautiful, diverse team of servants for the first CANA – “Hope for Fertility” weekend. A weekend for couples with a desire for children.
These courageous couples wanted to take the time and space to share their pain and their lives with other couples. And also to examine this pain and grief as a couple, together, with each other and with God.
It was particularly valuable to be able to experience the ingredients of CANA together: time for each other, time in part-time groups, prayer times, introductions, testimonies. It was a lot, but from what we heard, it was all worthwhile and very beneficial.
There was a good balance between depth and relaxation/pleasure, attention paid to well-prepared meals, and on Saturday evening, a “dinner for two” took place in good spirits.
Here’s what one couple wrote about the weekend:
“The weekend was well worth it. It’s really nice to meet other people in the same situation, to know you’re not the only one. The stay at the abbey gave an extra dimension to the program, because of the prayer times and services. The program was dense, but there was also room for relaxation and socializing. It’s an investment in your relationship and in your faith life!”
It is with great gratitude that we look back on this weekend where God was at work.
Life and hope were born through pain.
