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Fathers of Saint Joseph Meeting – Reflection on A Key to a Successful Marriage (Feb 28, 2026)

  • Writer: Marcelo Bastos
    Marcelo Bastos
  • Mar 12
  • 3 min read

Date: Saturday, February 28, 2026

Location: St. Mary’s Church Pope’s Quay


Context

We started our meeting with a time of adoration before our reflections. This helped us quiet our minds and place the meeting under God’s guidance.


Reflection Reading

Book: LEAD: The Four Marks of Fatherly Greatness

Author: Devin Schadt

Pillar 2: Embrace Your Essence [Embracing Woman]

Reading: 67.A Key to a Successful Marriage

Page: 179



Veronese, P. (1563) The Wedding at Cana. Oil on canvas. Paris: Louvre Museum. Available at: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Veronese,_The_Marriage_at_Cana_(1563).jpg (Accessed: 12 March 2026).
Veronese, P. (1563) The Wedding at Cana. Oil on canvas. Paris: Louvre Museum. Available at: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Veronese,_The_Marriage_at_Cana_(1563).jpg (Accessed: 12 March 2026).


Notes

The chapter reflects on the importance of expressing our need for one another in marriage. A strong and trusting marriage grows when husband and wife openly acknowledge that they depend on each other. Many men hesitate to admit that they need their wives because they fear appearing weak. Yet in the Christian understanding, recognising our need for one another is not weakness but humility and truth.

The author also connects this idea to the words of Christ. From the cross, Jesus said, “I thirst.” In this moment, Christ revealed both His suffering and His love. In a similar way, a husband is called to communicate honestly with his wife and recognise that she is essential to the mission of the family. When this is expressed sincerely, it builds trust, unity, and communion within marriage.


Shared Thoughts from the Group

  • We discussed how we are called to love our wives deeply while ensuring that our relationship always remains aligned with God’s will.

  • We reflected on the importance of understanding the order within the family and the responsibilities entrusted to fathers.

  • We recognised that marriage can be challenging, especially when one spouse is trying to walk the path of faith while the other may not share the same spiritual direction.


Personal Reflections & Final Thought

During our conversation, a recurring thought emerged: sometimes a husband may feel that his wife appears almost like an adversary. When we recall the story of Adam and Eve in Genesis, we can understand why this tension may exist in the human experience of marriage (Genesis 3). Yet the deeper challenge is not primarily about the other person, but about our own response. As Christians, we are called to look to Jesus Christ as the model of truth, humility, and love (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1994).

Our discussion also brought to mind the life of Élisabeth Leseur. She was a French Catholic woman known for her profound spiritual life. Her husband, Félix Leseur, was a committed atheist who openly mocked her faith. For many years she endured ridicule and suffering within the marriage, yet she remained patient and faithful, offering her prayers and sacrifices for his conversion.

After her death in 1914, Félix discovered her spiritual diary and letters. In them he found that she had offered her suffering for his conversion. This deeply moved him. In time he converted to the Catholic faith and eventually entered the Dominican Order, becoming a Dominican priest. Her witness is often presented in Catholic spirituality as an example of redemptive suffering, faithful prayer within marriage, and perseverance in difficult circumstances.

Reflecting on this example reminds us that becoming a worshiper of God means continually learning how to love. It means worrying less about what others are doing and focusing more on responding with compassion, patience, and sacrifice. This is also true in marriage. As fathers and husbands, we are entrusted with the responsibility of leading our families. We try to fulfil this role to the best of our ability, asking God for the grace to respond with humility, perseverance, and love.


References

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