As the Mater Dei Marriage Encounter Community reached its 20th year, “tayo ay magbalik tanaw “, says Fr. Domie Guzman. Fr. Domie Guzman, our Spiritual Director, led the members of the community in a Thanksgiving Mass to start the celebration of the 20th Year anniversary of the Mater Dei Marriage Encounter Community at last Fridays Prayer Gathering at the Sto. Niño de Violago Chapel in Quezon City.

In his Homily, Fr. Domie said , “ Ang Marriage Encounter ay hindi pwedeng buuin kundi sa pagtanaw ng malaking storya ng simbahan. Today, March 25, is the solemn Feast of the Annunciation. .- ang simula ng “conception” ni Maria in the mystery of Incarnation. Our community is called the Mater Dei whom we look up to as a cooperator and collaborator sa mga Gawain ng Diyos.” .

“Let it be done according to your word ” – Ang Diyos ay kumikilos kung mayroon pag sang-ayon. The role as husband and wife is a vocation itself. Kailangan maging matatag nguni’t ito ay mahirap. Hanapin lang ang kagustuhan ng Panginoon, at palaging maging tapat, ang plano ng mag- asawa ay matutupad din.”

Ganuon din sa community. . Ang pagka matatag ng community ay pwede mangyari kung matatag ang pamilya at isinasama ang kagustuhan ng Diyos sa kanilang mga plano. Kung ang bawa’t pamilya will be blessed then the community will also be blessed.

“Why is Mary the blessed among women?” Fr. Domie said, “ because she has given Jesus not for herself but for all of us.”

Sa ating dalawangpung (20) taon sa gawaing ito, hindi natin tinipid ang ating Apostolado sa mga gawain para sa iba. Ang ating Family Encounter Weekend (FEW) at Marriage Encounter Weekend (MEW) are still intact. Our spiritual growth programs still continue. This is not an accident or a coincidence! Hindi Niya tayo tinipid sa ating pagtataguyod and we never had an issue on paghihirap ng Apostolate o hirap ng community. That’s why we are offering this Thanksgiving Mass because the Lord wants us to continue. Like our Mater Dei, He gave us our community not for ourselves but for others.”

Likewise, we are thankful for the years we surpassed the challenges and the blessings we have received from the time and offer the following symbolic gifts:

Wood (our first to fifth years) for strength and solidarity of our relationship and the unity we felt and enjoyed in the community. Offered by Romy Remy Lagman, Ed Cora Depano and Gonio Remy Yorobe

Tin and Aluminum ( for the 6th to 10th year) Like these metals, in the community we learned how to bend without being broken, our flexibility made us durable and in trials we were taught to be pliant. Offered by Lony Rhodora Bohol

Crystal (for 11th to 15th year) - fragile and pure, like love and healing. In times when we were weak, the opportunities to settle differences and heal wounded feelings. We thank our Mater Dei for handling our fragile hearts and opening up the purity of our intentions to bring in spiritual joy which oftentimes the community needs. Offered by Bill Ding Zamora and Sam Lulou Asia

China (16th to 20th year) like the china ware, we thank you Lord for giving us beauty, elegance and delicate charm to win more members for the community and to sustain the love we have shared for each other which we transcend to others. Offered by Ding Susan Mayor

Our second Thanksgiving Mass offering was held at the SVD Seminary . We continue our mission for evangelization and sponsored a Sunday Family TV taped for Channel 13 last March 26, 2011. With the theme “Profound Thirst”, the mass was celebrated by Fr. Bel San Luis. In his opening, Fr. San Luis greeted the Mater Dei ME Community on its 20th anniversary. As he delivered his Homily, Fr. Bel cited that , “ Like the Mater Dei couples , who must have gone through turbulent married lives, were thrown into the marriage encounter program. Their souls were thirsting for the living water , their hearts were restless. What they have been looking for, maybe peace in the home, contentment, or simple change in life has been found through their involvement in the community.

Some programs like the Life in the Spirit Seminar, according to Fr. Bel, tells us that there will always be temptations. “Harden not your heart”. We have to have efforts to undergo continuing renewal sessions, because the challenge to change to a spiritual life brings us closer in relationship with God. In nurturing our spirit , we need to fill our life with prayers!.

Our third Thanksgiving Offer was held On Sunday, March 27, 2011. We marked this day to be the grandest celebration because we were able to bring together the three pillars of our Spiritual Life in the Marriage Encounter Community. Fr. Ruben Tanseco, the Founder of the ME program in the Philippines, Fr. Pablo Encinas, whom we credit for giving us the name Mater Dei, and Fr. Domie Guzman, our Spiritual Director that dates back to 20 years, lifted us high to a concelebrated Eucharistic Rites for our 20th Anniversary Thanksgiving Offering.

Fr. Pablo Encinas, , was nostalgic of his MDMEC days. He said, “20 years ago…. I may have forgotten the details of my days with MDMEC but the generalized events I still keep in my heart. Marriage Encounter program is an idea brought in by Fr. Tanseco from the United States. Guided by the precepts of the Living Water, his gut feel says “may pag-asa ang sambayanang Pilipino basta’t matatag ang pagmamahalan ng mag asawa . Ang “couple power” ang siyang magbubuo ng pamilya.”

The Holy Spirit will continue to work in the community because MDMEC still has apostolates for MEW, FEW and SGA programs . We thank the good Lord because the community is still working. From Class #66 (the first ME Class ) the class’ number has reached 278. He also acknowledged the presence of the three pioneering couples who administered the first 4 major apostolates in the community, namely: Lony Rhodora Bohol, Romy Remy Lagman, Vigie Nelly Ventura and offered silent prayers for the repose of another pioneer couple Ray Sonia Zolina

Ginawa ng Diyos ang MEW para sa inyo. From the name Good Shepherd, the Lord ignited the name Mater Dei in my mind because, Fr. Ambo says, “no name in the different ME sectors attributes to Mama Mary. The Lady has a strong influence on the life of married couples – as Jesus’ first miracle was performed in the Wedding at Cana.”

Indeed Twenty Years with Mater Dei Marriage Encounter Community are years well spent. So much to be thankful for – and our MATER DEI continues to lead our paths for others – for the Greater Glory of GOD.

Matatag na Pamilya , Kasama si Maria, tungo sa Diyos Ama.!