Should We Go on a Marriage Retreat?
7
Peter Martin
�ontinuing education units, annual
seminars, monthly company newsletters, license renewals, work-place safety videos… and that’s just a short list of the things that are required of us at work so that we might offer the highest quality of service. What things are we doing in order to ensure that our marriage is of the highest quality? Employers know that their employees need a break from the day-to-day grind in order that they can learn new tricks of the trade and get a chance to sharpen their skills. They know that sometimes their employees need to be reminded of the things they may have learned in the past, but have forgotten (or have neglected to put into practice.)
How much more important is it, then, for you and your spouse to take some time together! As you are the co-CEOs of your family, your children need the stability of your relationship. In The Joy of the Gospel, Pope Francis recognizes that “[t]he family is experiencing a profound cultural crisis, as are all communities and social bonds. In the case of the family, the weakening of these bonds is particularly serious because the family is the fundamental cell of society, where we learn to live with others despite our differences and to belong to one another; it is also the place where parents pass on the faith to their children” (66). We hope you will consider joining us at our Annual Married Couples Retreat!
Life, Marriage & Family
Director of Life, Marriage & Family and Communications pmartin@dowr.org
Families, cont'd from pg. 1 put more money back into the pockets of our most important producers- parents. Navigating tax laws can be challenging, so the Minnesota Catholic Conference has curated a list of resources on the Families First Project website at FamiliesFirstProject.com/CTC. The Minnesota Child Tax Credit is just the first of the policies we hope to enact through our Families First Project with your help. Because we all come from families, we are all subjectmatter experts on the needs of families. No matter your family dynamic nor your current state in life, you have unique expertise that legislators need to hear so they can propose legislation that supports the health, stability, and growth of families across Minnesota. One such proposal is the Baby Items Sales Tax Exemption Expansion. First-time parents encounter substantial upfront expenses on essential items such as car seats, cribs, strollers, bassinets, mattresses, and more that can easily tally up to nearly $2,000. To alleviate this burden, we are advocating for the elimination of state sales tax on these big-ticket items, providing parents with nearly $130 in savings.
While that may not seem like much in comparison to the full amount spent, we can all appreciate the need to make a dollar stretch further these days. Another one of the Families First Project proposals seeks to create a lifetime exemption on state income tax for women who give birth to four or more children. Recognizing the invaluable contribution of mothers in shaping the future, this initiative aims to provide tangible support for larger families, acknowledging the unique financial challenges they face. Take Action
Join us in championing the cause of family economic stability. Help us begin to end the cycle! Ask your legislator to pass the Baby Items Sales Tax Exemption in 2024 by visiting mncatholic.org/action. Together, let's build a state where families flourish! The Minnesota Catholic Conference has been the public policy voice of the Catholic Church in Minnesota since 1967. The voting members of the MCC's board of directors are Minnesota's Catholic bishops.
February 2024 w The Courier w dowr.org
