St. Columba ParishThe family is the first church a child ever knows. Supporting marriages — before, during and when they are in trouble — is some of the most important work a parish does, and most of it is done by other couples and parents rather than by clergy.
Marriage preparation
Required for couples marrying in the Church, led by three married couples and a priest: communication, finances, faith, intimacy, children. $150 per couple with meals.
Couples for Christ — St. Columba
A Catholic family renewal community with roots in the Philippines and members from every background: household groups of five or six couples meeting fortnightly, a monthly assembly with praise and teaching, and a Christian Life Program each January for new couples. Singles for Christ and Youth for Christ for the rest of the family.
Contact: Ricardo & Elena Santos · cfc@stcolumbatoronto.ca
Moms' group
Coffee, a short reflection, honest conversation, and a room full of toys. Grandmothers on hand to hold babies.
Dads' group
Forty-five minutes: bacon, the Sunday Gospel, and what it means to be a father this week. Out by 8:30 for the kids' hockey.
Family rosary
Children lead the decades; a Marian hymn; then pizza while parents stay for Adoration. In October, every night.
Anniversaries Mass
Couples celebrating 1, 5, 10, 25, 40, 50, 60 or more years renew their vows and receive a blessing and certificate. Register by June 1.
Enrichment
Marriages need maintenance the way houses do. The parish offers an annual marriage enrichment evening in February (dinner, a speaker, time to talk as a couple), promotes Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekends, and keeps a small library of books on marriage in the parish library. Fr. Moreau and Deacon Paul are available for couples who want to talk something through before it becomes a crisis. Natural Family Planning instruction is offered by a certified parishioner couple; ask the office.
When marriage is hard, or has ended
Couples in difficulty can be referred by the priests to Catholic Family Services of Toronto for counselling (sliding scale; ShareLife-funded) and to Retrouvaille, a weekend program for marriages in serious trouble that has saved many. Separated and divorced Catholics remain full members of the Church and are welcome at Communion; the parish hosts a monthly Separated & Divorced Catholics support evening on the third Wednesday, and the priests can explain the annulment process, which is confidential and free in the Archdiocese of Toronto. Single parents are especially invited to the moms' and dads' groups and to the family events.
Questions
We're an interfaith couple.
Every group on this page is open to you both. Couples for Christ and marriage enrichment have several mixed-faith couples.
Is there childcare at the groups?
Children come to the moms' group and the family rosary; for the Saturday CFC assembly there is a supervised kids' program. Dads' breakfast is for dads.
We were married civilly.
See convalidation — a simple ceremony that brings your marriage into the Church.
Coordinators: Ricardo & Elena Santos — family@stcolumbatoronto.ca · Moms' group: Sarah Kim · Dads' group: Deacon Paul Ferreira.