ROME, FEB. 5, 2003 (ZENIT.org–Avvenire).- In just under two months, married couples thinking about separation will have a place to assist them in Italy.
The Diocese of Perugia is planning to establish a «House of Tenderness,» in Montemorcino.
«We start with the formation of married couples with children and single people involved in the Church,» the director of the center, Monsignor Carlo Rocchetta announced. He is a theologian and expert in conjugal and family spirituality.
These people "will be the ones who will welcome and accompany spouses who are experiencing a marital crisis. Some will live in the center, to be a real family at the service of the more fragile ones,» the monsignor explained.
Nine young couples have offered themselves to begin preparing to become a stable community ready to receive married couples in difficulty.
The community hopes to help spouses by offering hospitality to those who need it, and forming young people and engaged couples to live the sacrament of marriage.
«This is a concrete service of Caritas for those who seek help before agreeing to end the union blessed by God, offering them time for reflection with the support of experts, so that the love that suffers will be transformed into mercy, reconciliation, forgiveness,» Monsignor Rocchetta stressed.
It is a help offered by the Church «so that much thought can be given to the grave consequences entailed in a family rupture, especially much suffering for the children, but also for the parents.»
The center is part of the diocese’s conjugal and family pastoral care program.
That program provides courses in faith for engaged couples, support for young couples, consulting services for family pathology, attention to problems of homosexuality, divorce and separation, and assistance in the education of children.
