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eMatrimony.org Supporting, Encouraging, and Challenging the WWME Community |
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| Priest's Corner My Priesthood in Marriage Encounter Fr. Harry Brown, C.PP.S. I’m Fr. “Holy Huggable Harry” Harold Brown, C.PP.S., ordained May 31, 1959 and made my original Worldwide Marriage Encounter Oct. 12-14, 1977 at Brunnerdale High School Seminary, Canton, Ohio. I was principal there at that time. I was “extra ready” to make my original Weekend since I was completing 15 years of teaching and administrating in this seminary. I was very touched and moved by this experience which truly gave me a “super lift” in my sacrament of Holy Orders. Soon thereafter, I decided to resign my principal-ship in order to take up full-time ministry for Worldwide Marriage Encounter (5 years). What a fantastic ministry that was! It was a lot of hard work – presenting 3 out of every 4 weekends monthly across the U.S.A. I was a “flying priest” and enjoyed every minute! During this time I was based in Tampa within Section V (arrived in 1979). In 1980, I developed my now popular “Super Marriage Sunday”* for recruiting purposes. I got the idea from a tiny article printed on loose leaf paper about Marriage Encounter (almost like scrap paper). That was the kernel or spark I needed to initiate and develop many more challenging ideas for a successful recruiting tool. And thank God it was very successful for the sale of WWME. I kept rather accurate stats over the years from 1980 to 2003. The stats:
For this success I praise and thank God who continues to use me today for recruiting (signed up 265 in the Toledo Diocese during the past 7 years). My next WWME Weekend will be No. 184 for me (only a small count relative to many of our pioneer priests who have given 400-500+). My current assignment as pastor of a large rural parish (over 950 families) in Glandorf, Ohio, limits me now to one WWME Weekend and two “Super Marriage Sundays” annually in the Toledo Diocese. Today, I know a large WWME family through the U.S. – both couples & priests! I feel very loved by them. I’m very thankful for my priesthood. Fr. Harry Brown, C.PP.S.
Editor’s Note: A “Super Marriage Sunday” is an organized Inviting/Recruiting “blitz”. Pulpit/Witness talks or other inviting activities are organized to be presented, within a span of one or two weekends, at every parish during or after as many masses as possible within a concentrated geographical area. Click here for a printable page (PDF, 11KB)
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