By Family Ministry Holy Trinity Church
KUCHING — On 22 June 2026, Holy Trinity Church Family Ministry conducted its 4th year of The Marriage Course with eight couples participating in the 8-week course ending with a beautiful ceremony of renewing their marriage vows before the blessed sacrament and a celebratory fellowship dinner on 4 August.
The Marriage Course helps to equip the couples with tools to build a healthy marriage and to strengthen their connection through communication. Couples also learnt how to resolve conflicts, practice the power of forgiveness, understand the impact of family, intimacy as a couple and continuing love in action in their marriage guided by sacred scriptures. Each week, while the couples are attending the course, a dedicated prayer team under our Rector Father Eugene is also praying for them and their intentions in the prayer room before the blessed sacrament.
Couples attending this year ranged from having been married from 3 months to 47 years. This serves to testify that no matter how many years you have been married, whether it’s a short time or a long time, the Marriage Course is for all married couples aiming to engage couples to enrich, empower and live out their sacramental gift of marriage.
In the last session, Father Eugene emphasised the need to invite Mother Mary into their marriage where she will guide and lead couples to Jesus in prayers. This will help married couples to ensure unbroken continuity in their marriages, fidelity, overcoming challenges and building a strong spiritual family. Father Eugene also reminded the couples that their wedding is a continuing feast.
Testimonies from some participating couples:
“We are only married three months. The course is very encouraging and we have both learnt to navigate difficult conversations through effective communication. This is the first time we have attended a church program where we are given private space in a warm beautiful setting, fresh flowers every week and such delicious food.”
“After the first session, my husband and I have rekindled dating, going on a picnic and a cruise …Sarawak River Cruise …just the two of us! We realise after 47 years of marriage, we never spend time on our own and we have fallen into being a boring couple. We have learnt many things and pray we can apply them in our daily life. May we call upon our Blessed Mother to be our guide through our path of holiness and May Jesus be our strength.”
“I am a foreigner marrying a Sarawakian and am blessed that I am well loved by my in-laws.
The Marriage Course has helped us to realise our individual strengths and weaknesses. It has helped us to understand each other’s way of resolving conflicts.”
“We were too busy to enjoy ourselves and the food during our own wedding. Tonight feels like being married all over again with the renewal of vows. This time we can enjoy ourselves and the good food. The Marriage Course is very good and has helped us to reconnect and communicate.”
“I will always love my wife.”
It is indeed heartwarming to hear these testimonies and more.
As is now our tradition, we also gifted a carefully selected Saikei plant to each couple as a symbol of their marriage where they have to nurture and nourish the plant so it will grow and flourish. Similarly in their marriage, couples are reminded to nurture their marriage through prayers, to love and care for their spouses to grow a strong marriage.
Holy Trinity Parish Family Ministry conducts the Marriage Course every year and is open to couples from other parishes as well.
