SAN DIEGO — An upcoming workshop on dating and marriage, led by certified relationship coaches Raphy and Sara Feolino, will be held on Saturday, March 11, at St. Thérèse of Carmel Parish.
The event will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., with a social to follow.
The Feolinos, who are married and live in Las Vegas, are the co-founders of Journey to Marriage, an organization that seeks to prepare couples for holy and healthy marriages. They are also the hosts of the podcast “Journey to Marriage – Catholic Dating & Relationships,” which can be heard on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
This will be the Catholic couple’s second speaking engagement in the Diocese of San Diego, following a well-received installment of Theology on Tap last October.
Hosted by the diocesan Office for Youth and Young Adult Ministry, the workshop will be open to all young adults, ages 18 to 39, both single and married.
The Feolinos will deliver three talks during the workshop. The first will invite attendees to visualize the type of person they need to be to build the future and relationship they want. The second will explore what healthy communication looks like. The final talk will address conflict-resolution and the setting of boundaries.
Maricruz Flores, director of the Office for Youth and Young Adult Ministry, said the interest in a workshop like this became apparent when the Feolinos’ Theology on Tap presentation filled to capacity the parish hall at Good Shepherd’s.
“A lot of people, especially those who are single, were affirmed that they’re not alone in … trying to figure out their vocation,” Flores said of the earlier event.
She said that she and her team observed young adults taking notes and listening with rapt attention as the Feolinos spoke.
“I think that’s the longest we’ve stayed after an event, because everybody wanted to talk to Raphy and Sara,” Flores said.
Brilema Perez, associate director of the Office for Youth and Young Adult Ministry, said that a record-setting 200-plus young adults attended that Theology on Tap session. She said the upcoming workshop is a follow-up to that event and will tackle the same topic in more depth.
After the workshop, there will be an opportunity for singles to “meet and mingle” over hors d’oeuvres and wine, she said. At the social, attendees will be able to apply lessons learned at the workshop to a real-life situation, “to practice having a conversation (and) getting to know others.”
The cost to attend the workshop is $35 per person or $60 per engaged or married couple. Lunch will be provided.
To register for the workshop, visit sdcatholic.org/event/dating-and-marriage-workshop.
