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Dear Friends,

Blessed Luigi and Maria Beltrame Quatrocchi are living proof that marriage is not a deterrent to holiness! You may smile, but perhaps we have not given the sacrament of Marriage enough credit. It is infilled with opportunities, challenges, joys and sufferings all of which are stepping stones to growing closer to the Lord and to each other. Luigi and Maria took advantage of the sacramental graces that come with marriage. They encouraged each other, and in fact, motivated each other, to live fully their mutual call to holiness in the daily life of their marriage. Let us learn from their witness and ask their interecession for ourselves and for all married couples to be holy!

-- Teresa

(We continue with two excerpts from L'Obsservatore's article:)

"John Paul II fulfilled a long-held desire Sunday, 21 October, when he beatified a married couple, to highlight the fact that holiness is an integral part of lay life as it is of religious and priestly life," reports L'Osservatore Romano in the 24 October 2001 issue. The article continues: "The new Blesseds Luigi (1880-1951) and Maria Beltrame Quattrocchi (1884-1965) of Rome were married for 50 years and had four children, three of whom are still alive and attended the ceremony. The two sons, Filippo and Cesare, concelebrated with the Holy Father. The couple's daughter Enrichetta was among the faithful at the Mass. The Holy Father explained during the homily that the couple "lived an ordinary life in an extraordinary way". The Church has recognized the holiness of other spouses but it was the first time that spouses were beatified together. The beatification was the high point of the weekend of celebrations organized by the Church in Italy to mark the 20th anniversary of the publication of the apostolic exhortation Familiaris Consortio. It is John Paul II's most important document on marriage and family life."

Married couples receive the sacramental grace to live the

call to holiness

There could be no happier nor more momentous an occasion than today to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Apostolic Exhortation "Familiaris consortio". This document, which even today remains a guiding light in the field, while highlighting the centrality of marriage and the mission of the family, particularly asks spouses to follow the path of holiness by virtue of the sacramental grace, which "is not exhausted in the actual celebration of the sacrament of marriage, but rather accompanies the married couple throughout their lives... Among the joys and anxieties of a normal family, they knew how to live an extraordinarily rich spiritual life. At the center of their life was the daily Eucharist as well as devotion to the Virgin Mary, to whom they prayed every evening with the Rosary, and consultation with wise spiritual directors."

The riches of faith and love the husband and wife...are a living proof of what the Second Vatican Council said about the call of the faithful to holiness, indicating that spouses should pursue this goal…"following their own way."...Dear families, today we have distinctive confirmation that the path of holiness lived together as a couple is possible, beautiful, extraordinarily fruitful, and fundamental for the good of the family, the church and society...pray to the Lord that there be many more married couples who can reveal...the holiness of their lives... fulfilled in the union of Christ with his Church.

important role. We hesitated to ask Archbishop Curtiss this favor because we knew that the demands on his time and energy were already substantial. Nevertheless, the open relationship we have shared over the years, the support and enthusiasm for the Movement which he has continuously manifested, and our personal awareness of the benefits that his spiritual leadership would bring, motivated us to make this request of him.

The commitment involves a five-year term with the following duties:

+ Celebrate Mass for us at least once a year, perhaps on or about November 1st for our celebration of the Universal Day of Sanctification, or during one of our conventions.

+ Meet with our leadership once or twice a year so we may consult with you and keep you informed regarding the spiritual activities at our centers in Brooklyn, New York, Fullerton, California and here in Omaha.

+ Be available to advise us on matters of greater importance which may arise from time to time.

We thank Archbishop Curtiss for his geneous acceptance and we assure him of our prayers of gratitude for the kindess he has shown to us throughout our many years in Omaha.

May the Lord continue to bless him as he journeys with us into the new millennium.

--Teresa Monaghen