In a gesture aimed at strengthening marital bonds, the Catholic Church on Sunday endorsed the practice of periodic couple hangouts as a potent strategy to enhance intimacy and ensure marriage stability.1 The church extended a supportive recommendation for spouses to engage in out-of-home dates and activities, advocating that these experiences are essential for renewing love and reinforcing their connection, thereby acting as a preventative measure against marital instability.
This valuable advice was shared during the Catholic Men Organisation’s (CMO) couples feast, a special retreat with the theme, “Marriage that Works.” The event, held at Saints Peter and Paul Parish Tedi in Lagos, was a unique forum where husbands and wives attended together.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) noted that the feast was characterized by heartfelt exchanges of pleasantries and was designed to encourage gestures and actions between spouses that contribute to a healthy and thriving marriage.4The event aimed to commemorate the 2025 Father’s Day, reminded couples the importance of each other’s task in the marriage sacrament.
Speaking at the event, a marriage counselor, Mr Okechukwu Obereagu, described marriage as a “calling with assigned purpose and rules guiding it”.
Obereagu said that marriage was the first institution established by God for human sustainability.
He decried the undoings of couples that threatened the matrimonial union which in several cases led to divorce or separation, advising spouses to reignite bonds with hangouts.
“Pray together as a family to make God the pilot of the marriage journey and family manager.
“As partners made one in the union, always expect imperfection conducts from your partner and do well to absorb such with love.
“Couples should captivate love for each other, know when best to do things that endear you to your spouse and facilitate those regularly.
“Laugh out each others conducts worthy of criticism and refrain from unhealthy arguments. Avoid unhealthy competitions.
“Avoid sleeping separately when there is a friction, one person should activate a healing process to dose off the acrimony within 24 hours,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, the CMO Chaplin, who doubles as the Parish Priest of the Church, Rev Fr. Anthony Thompson, asked fathers to love their wives just as Christ love the Church and gave all to it.
The priest asked the wives to be submissive to their husbands and refrain from life of complaints and do away with attitudes that did not portray them as good Christian mothers.
The chaplain asked the parishioners to live a life of thanksgiving and gratitude to God for the gift of life. He prayed for peace in families and the protection of the children.
