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YOUR INSTRUCTORS
Click on the name of your instructors to
know more about them:
Christian - Christine -
Karen -
Gordon and Mary -
Rudy and Carmen -
Greg and Amber -
Olivier and Jehanne
Mattie and
Moses
Christian and Christine
We didn't start our couple's life very well : we lived together
for two years which led us to an abortion. We can now say that it took us,
individually and as a couple, about 20 years to heal from it... but God always
draws good from evil and this abortion is probably the main reason why we feel
so drawn to helping couples to start on the right foot! We are convinced that our
baby, Emmanuel, prayed for us very hard to change our hearts and bring us back
to God!
We celebrated 30 years of marriage in July 2007, surrounded by our daughters and six grandchildren. God is good!
Christian:
I was born and raised in Meknes,
Morocco, Catholic in a Muslim country. I am the youngest of three boys. My
uncle was a Franciscan priest there and my aunt a Franciscan missionary nun.
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After I graduated from High School I came
to Montpellier, France, to College and that's where I met Christine.
I was working at the city's opera (to pull the ropes behind the curtain!) and on
that day of November 74, my boss asked me - for the first and only time - to
keep the art gallery that was on the side of the opera. It was showing a
tapestry exhibit and I had only one visitor: Christine!
I got a masters in Economics and worked for
fourteen years for an American Irrigation Company based in Nebraska. We got
married during one of my business trips in July 77.
Then, after I encountered in a
very extraordinary way Mary and Christ, we decided to
leave everything and follow the Gospel. We entered a monastery as a family, for
fifteen years, and there I was in charge of the religious news on the
Diocesan radio-station. We lived a life of prayer with about 4 hours of prayer
each day plus formation on the teachings of the Church. We learned a lot and
deepened our faith tremendously.
We recently stepped out of the Community to dedicate our time totally to
marriage preparation and we love it!
My hobbies? I love fly-fishing and also hiking. I am the PR in our organization. |
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Christine:
I was born and raised in Burgundy,
France. Good wine and good food! I am number four of five kids: three girls and
two boys. I was raised in a Catholic practicing family. |
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I graduated a year early from High-School and
went for a year as an exchange student to Indiana and loved it! I then came back
to France and started studying art in Montpellier at Ecole des
Beaux-Arts. I never graduated because I met Christian
and followed him to Nebraska!
After a year in Nebraska we were sent back to work
from France. It was hard on me - and the couple - as Christian was
traveling at least two weeks per month.
I was drawn back to God and the Church in 82, two years before Christian
experienced his big conversion. That's where healing from our abortion started. When we entered the monastery,
I
also got to work at the radio-station, in charge of the kids broadcasts. I
loved that part and my daughters and grand-daughters still listen to my stories! Then
my dream to come back to the States came true and our
religious Community sent us to Denver in 1999. That's when we started teaching
marriage prep. intensively.
I love to take pictures and scrap booking, I love drawing and crafts
(salt-dough is my best!) and I am the computer geek for our organization.
Voila! |
With our six grandkids, Summer 2007
There are two more as of September 2008!
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Karen:
My name is Karen Gonzales. I have
been married for 22 years to my husband Deano and we have five children: Four
girls and one boy. Our oldest, Emily, is 19; Clare is 17, Anthony is 11 and our
last, the twins Catie and Abby, are 9! The kids keep us very active with sports
and school.
We have truly experienced the power of the Sacrament of Matrimony in our
marriage. Through the years we have seen the blessings of forgiveness, mercy and
compassion. We feel these are keys to a great marriage. We were once asked, "Do
you want a good marriage or a great marriage? If you want a great marriage you
must learn to forgive!" Those words have stuck with us through the years and
have been an inspiration for us.
Deano and I met in Arizona at college. We both sang in the singing group at the
church we were attending. We first lived in Austin, TX but now reside in Arvada,
CO. Deano works for the IRS and I work for a forensic engineering firm. I
originally worked as a renal dietitian but the demands of home don't allow that
anymore.
We love to camp and bike ride. Colorado is the perfect place for that!
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Gordon and Mary:
Mary was born and raised in Toledo, Ohio as the
oldest of 8 children. Her family is rooted in the Catholic faith and her
father is an ordained deacon in Toledo.
Gordon was born in Mount Holly, New Jersey.
He was baptized Catholic, but his childhood life was traumatic and his
religious upbringing was inconsistent. His mother married and divorced 5
times, and his family moved every two years as his mother tried to find
happiness. When his family moved to Toledo in 1977, his sister started high
school where Mary went. They became fast friends. That is how Mary met
Gordon. Mary needed a date to
Homecoming dance and he was happy to help out. He says it was love at first
sight! Gordon admired and wanted the consistent, stable environment that
Mary's family had.
They became engaged during the year after Mary graduated, and Mary
attended an in-state college. Gordon joined the Air Force to learn a trade,
and the plan at the time was that they would get married when they were both
done in 4 years. That all changed when he got stationed in Hawaii.
Mary missed him so much that she couldn't concentrate at school. So, they
moved up the wedding date a few years. They were apart for 10 months out of
the 12 months they were engaged. Mary did all the wedding planning
herself and they even attended separate Engagement classes. They
were married on January 3. 1981 in Toledo at Mary's home parish. Mary then
joined Gordon in Hawaii and became a military wife. In 2008, they just
celebrated their 28th wedding anniversary! (Gordon also stayed in the Air
Force and retired after 28 years!).
They have 5 children: Jessica 27(married to Justin), Stefan 25, Sarah 23,
Emma 9, and Harrison, 8. They live in Colorado Springs Colorado.
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Rudy and Carmen:
We were both born in Lima, Peru. Carmen is an elementary
teacher and Rudy an electronic technician. We have no children but have been
blessed with a wonderful and happy marriage. Not having children has been
something difficult to deal with, since it was not our decision but want to
think God’s decision. We were both raised in the Catholic faith and were active
members in our Parish (in Lima-Peru) through different youth groups and
ministries. We met at school but fell in love while serving at church. Since we
got married, 15 years ago, we made a decision, have the Lord dwell in our
hearts, lead our lives and there is no regret about it!
We moved to the USA 6 years ago, since Carmen was
participating in a cultural exchange program for international teachers. We
lived 3 years in North Carolina and then, moved to Colorado to establish our
residency in Colorado Springs.
We enjoy spending time and doing things together. We would
say this is one of the success keys for couples who want to have a “forever
marriage”. We love traveling, listening to music, serving at church and enjoying
life the best way we can.
Traducción en
español:
Ambos nacimos en
Lima, Perú. Carmen es maestra de la escuela elemental y Rudy, técnico
electrónico. No tenemos hijos pero hemos sido bendecidos con un matrimonio
maravilloso y feliz. El no tener hijos no ha sido facil ya que no fue decisión
nuestra y queremos pensar que fue decisión de Dios. Ambos crecimos en la fe
Católica y fuimos miembros activos en nuestra Parroquia (en Lima-Perú) a través
de diferentes grupos juveniles y ministerios. Nos conocimos en la escuela pero
nos enamoramos cuando servíamos en la iglesia. Desde que nos casamos, hace casi
15 años, tomamos la decisión de que Dios viva en nuestros corazones y conduzca
nuestras vidas. ¡No lamentamos esta decisión!
Nos mudamos a
los EEUU hace 6 años pues Carmen estaba participando en un programa de
intercambio para maestros internacionales. Vivimos 3 años en Carolina del Norte
y luego, nos mudamos a Colorado, estableciendo nuestra residencia en Colorado
Springs.
Disfrutamos
pasando tiempo y haciendo cosas juntos. Diríamos que ésta es una de las claves
del éxito para las parejas que quieren tener un “matrimonio para toda la vida”.
Nos encanta viajar, escuchar música, servir en la iglesia y disfrutar la vida de
la mejor manera posible.
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Greg and Amber:
Amber was born and raised Catholic
in Minnesota and is the oldest of 3 girls. Greg was born and raised Catholic in
Wyoming and is the oldest of 3 boys. They both attended the University of South
Dakota. Amber went there on a $300 scholarship for music and Greg went there
for a $600 scholarship for swimming. Their roommates were dating at the time so
they got to spend lots of time together on the dorm floor and at the Newman
Center Church where they were on the parish counsel.
They got married June 2000 at the
Newman Center just after they graduated. Amber has a degree in Anthropology and
minors in Archaeology and Geology. Greg has degrees in Biology and Geology.
Then they moved out to Denver to start their life together.
Greg is a Geological Engineer/Technician manager for a construction company and
Amber is a full time mother to their 5 children, Sam is 7, Katie is 6, Grace is
4, Andy is 2 and Bethany was born Feb 2009. They also enjoy homeschooling them,
taking nature hikes, swimming, camping, fishing and spending time with family
and friends.
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Olivier
and Jehanne
Olivier and Jehanne met in Rennes, Brittany, while studying graphic design. They
are both artists!
They experienced a deep conversion during the World Youth Day in Rome in 2000
and got married the next Summer.
They live in beautiful Burgundy, France. Olivier who is originally from
Brittany, is a graphic designer and Jehanne is a stays at home mom.
They have two daughters, Sarah 6 and Leah 4, and two sons, Gabriel 2 and Samuel
who was born Aug. 26th, 2008.
Olivier is the
Graphic Designer for Catholic Marriage Preparation!
He also loves to draw illustrations and comics.
Jehanne is a pioneer in France for the home schooling and working hard at it!
She loves to ride horses and is lucky to have an equestrian center five minutes
walking distance from her home!
Olivier and Jehanne are our French instructors. They can do English too, no
problem!
The Heitz family
Sept. 08
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Mattie and Moses:
Oldest daughter of Christian and Christine,
born in 1978 in France, I came to the United States in 1997: first to Seattle,
WA, for a year to study English as a Second Language and then on to Franciscan
University of Steubenville in Steubenville, OH for a Bachelor of Science in
Anthropology. There I met Moses, my husband and we got married in June 2002.
We now live in Westminster, CO with our four children: Alice, 6; Emma, 5;
Joshua 4, and Lucie, 2.
Moses is an accountant but we are both building our
own business, which with the four kids, keeps us very busy!
Moses loves to
hike, hunt and fish. I'm more of a homemaker. I home school my children and love
it! Moses and I love hiking. For our honeymoon, we started hiking the Colorado
Trail. It was awesome but we had to stop after 13 days to finish my immigration
papers... I also am a fan of scrapbooking.
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