After seven years of marriage and advanced studies in theology, Dan and Bethany Meola felt something was lacking in Catholic marriage preparation.
Specifically, a ministry to help Catholics who come from families of divorce or separation in starting their own marriage.
DAN AND BETHANY MEOLA
Founders, Life-Giving Wounds
'There's a sleeper effect to parental divorce in the lives of the children, that often, the triggering event is when they're in a serious relationship. They realize, “oh my gosh, I have all these wounds, all these fears, from my family of origin because I saw what not to do in a marriage,” and it often comes out in young adulthood.'
That's what inspired them to found Life-Giving Wounds, a ministry dedicated to helping adult children of divorce develop a healthy and loving relationship with their spouse.
Through retreats, peer-mentoring, and prayer resources, the Meolas seek to help those wounded by the divorce or separation of their own parents experience the full joy of married life.
DAN AND BETHANY MEOLA
Founders, Life-Giving Wounds
'Part of what we want to do is just be a place where people from that background, adult children of divorce, can come together, can find each other, can share in those common sufferings, for people to not be alone. And that blends into the more programmatic parts of our ministry of retreats, support groups, that give people a place to enter into those wounds together with Christ and find that deep healing the Lord wants for them.'
After growing up with separated parents, Dan Meola says that by opening oneself to God, adult children of divorce can use their wounds of divorce to strengthen their own marriage.
DAN AND BETHANY MEOLA
Founders, Life-Giving Wounds
'There's this fierce intentionality, they don't take marriage for granted, they don't take family for granted, so they're always on the lookout for, 'how can I better myself? How can I love you better, dear? How can I sacrifice?' And that's the positive response to our wounds that we really want to inculcate. Because it's there, with Christ's healing that you actually flip the wound on its head and it goes from being this detriment to the relationship to being a resource.'
Dan and Bethany, along with their two daughters, are working to share their message of healing to adult children of divorce everywhere. With in-person and online retreats, they are reminding Christians that the wounds we bear can always lead to new life.
JM
