Program offers married couples opportunity to go out on a date

Attention, married couples! When was the last time you went out on a date? Not to the movies with the kids or to a relative's home for dinner, but a real date?

If you can't remember, the Family Life Office of the Albany Diocese has a program for you. On Sept. 5, 6-8 p.m., at the Pastoral Center in Albany, Mary Moriarty, associate director, will offer a program titled "Datenight."

To be held on the first Friday of each month, the evening will include a light dinner, some instruction, couple interaction and fun.

Time together

"Datenight has been designed for married couples of all ages and engaged couples who hope to strengthen their marriage relationship and commitment," Mrs. Moriarty explained.

Participants will have an opportunity to learn some new skills or to "polish up" what they already know about keeping their marriage "fresh and healthy," she said.

"We scheduled the meetings to allow for people to make arrangements for a babysitter if needed, share a meal, participate in the program and still have time for evening activities."

Couple's input

Couples will also have an opportunity to set the agenda, according to their ages, expectations and needs.

"We wanted to have some guidelines available, such as conflict resolution and management, communication skills, and problem-solving," she noted. "But we also wanted each couple to have direct input.

"It will mainly depend on who attends and what they want to address regarding their relationship. Primarily, though, we are going to have lots of fun. The dinner will give people a chance to get to know each other."

Hopes

Mrs. Moriarty hopes that "people will come because they have an interest in keeping their relationship healthy. My hope is that couples can benefit from each other's experiences through shared stories about what works and what doesn't work in a marriage."

The first meeting will also be a springboard for developing themes for subsequent meetings. Her hope is that the once-a-month gatherings will continue indefinitely, providing a regular time for couples to enrich and build on their relationships.

(Registration is required for Datenight. There is no charge, but a free-will donation for the light dinner is appreciated. Contact Mary Moriarty at the Family Life Office at 453-6677 to register.)

(8/28/03) [[In-content Ad]]