So we went to the "Marriage Encounter" reunion yesterday in Marietta, Ohio. Out of about twenty couples,...only five couples showed up!! The ones,.who talked the most about their "intense and enlightening personal experiences..." didn't show up at all!!
We were treated to one man's account as to the fact that he and his wife were going to go to New York City for the week. He went on and on with his talk,..but his wife said nothing.

Another couple spoke longingly of hoping to get to know other people and sharing "fellowship" with them. When I asked them their names,..the wife took a long hard look at me and said,.."We don't give out that type of information!!"

I would have been offended,..but I later found out that she said that same thing to the priest,..who simply wanted to ask the couple..if they woud like to attend mass at his parish!!
The priest was as nice to my husband and myself as he was the first weekend in Marietta when we first went to the initial Marriage Encounter. He made a point of speaking several times to everyone who came to both the initial Encounter and to the reunion. I teased him about not having a wife and he told me that the people of his church were considered to be his "spouse!" No one ever explained the priesthood that way to me before!! Why do I have the feeling that that man also takes his other "vows" seriously...too????

That first weekend, Father --- told me that his nephew was going deaf and that his sister,..the mother of the young boy in question, was in the hospital wih cancer weekend and I gave him a copy of Walking Free.
I told him that he did not have to worry about the boy's intelligence being affected by the onset of "early childhood deafness," but I told him that he should worry about how others treated his nephew as he grew up and to consider teaching the child some sign language so that he would feel at home with "signing deaf" folks. I also told him to encourage the boy to read and to encourage him to speak. What else could I do?

I ALSO told him to teach his nephew that being deaf or hard of hearing...was nothing to be ashamed of. What else..could I say??