YOUR INSTRUCTORS


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.

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.
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.

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!

 

Mattie:
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, 5; Emma, 4; Joshua 2, and Lucie born in march 08.
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 plan on home schooling my children. In fact I have already started 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.



 
  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!

 

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.

 

Carmen and Rudy:

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.

 


Albuquerque, NM - April 2008

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 works in a High School in France.
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