The Diocesan Divorce Ministry:
Offering a Valuable Way to Heal and Move Forward
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avigating divorce is most certainly complex. Broken relationships can affect us and our loved ones in unexpected ways. Sorting through the complicated emotions, coming to terms with a new normal, and understanding what divorce means as a Catholic can be overwhelming. Christ the King wants anyone going through this difficult process to know that they are not alone — the Church is here to help in the healing process and to walk the road together. Ellie Durbin, the founder of the Diocesan Divorce Ministry and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, knows personally how difficult it is to find support. When Ellie went through a divorce herself, she was surprised to find very few resources through the Church. At the time, the support groups she did find were unorganized and lacked leadership. Ellie knew that those healing from divorce needed more. Over the years, she began to explore different programs, looking for something meaningful and in line with Church teaching. After many years
of research and testing of different programs, the Divorce Ministry at Christ the King is strong and ready to assist. “I just think the ministry itself is so important,” Ellie says. “There is a lot of healing that goes on with people who have experienced divorce and with the Church.” While it can be tempting for someone going through divorce to drift away from the faith, rather than fully understand the annulment process and how to move forward as a Catholic, staying close to the sacraments is an integral part of the healing process. Every meeting opens with prayer, a renewed surrender to God — “Father, I belong to You. I place myself anew in Your hands and acknowledge You as Master and Lord of my life.” The Divorce Ministry offers a 10-week program, two hours each Wednesday night. The meetings take participants through a variety of topics, offer opportunities for sharing stories, and feature talks from priests. The leaders are those who have been through the program and continued on back cover
If you are interested in joining the next session of the Divorce Ministry, or have more questions, please contact Ellie Durbin at 859-806-3959 or elliedurbin@gmail.com. 7
