Christian Family Movement leaders discuss marriage initiative

Published: 2007-07-12

REDONDO BEACH, Calif. (CNS) -- Tom Halpin, a national board member of the Christian Family Movement, thinks church leaders sometimes are "misperceived as being out of touch" with issues faced by laypeople. "Nothing could be further from the truth," he said, after meeting with Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz, named in June to head the Archdiocese of Louisville, Ky., and who is chairman of the U.S. bishops' Committee on Marriage and Family Life. "The church is truly committed to affirming and helping couples in their marriages," added Halpin, an Omaha, Neb., resident. He and his wife, Mary Kay, are CFM's treasurer couple. Archbishop Kurtz and Sheila Garcia, associate director of the U.S. bishops' Secretariat for Family, Laity, Women and Youth, met with Halpin and other CFM board members during their summer board meeting at St. Lawrence Martyr Church in Redondo Beach. The archbishop and Garcia discussed the bishops' new marriage initiative, listened to the board's reaction and asked for input on how the church could help them in their efforts to support couples and families.

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