Dr. Jim Healy

All married couples are invited to a date night with dinner and a marriage enrichment presentation hosted by the Peoria Diocesan Council of Catholic Women on Saturday, Sept. 29, beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the Spalding Pastoral Center in Peoria.

Dr. Jim Healy, director of the Center for Family Ministry of the Diocese of Joliet, will be the featured speaker on the topic “How to Be Married and Stay Engaged.” Designed for all ages and stages of marriage, the presentation features humor and practical advice for living marriage vows fully and joyfully.

Healy, a counseling psychologist with more than 20 years of experience working with families, is a former associate director of the Diocese of Peoria’s Office of Family Life. He earned a doctorate in counseling psychology from the University of Illinois in 1985 and has served as an adviser to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’s Committee on Marriage and the Family.

“We want to provide an evening that’s affordable and friendly, especially for younger married couples,” said Alberta Fandel, marriage and family chair for the DCCW. She emphasized that lap babies are welcome, and that free babysitting will be available on a first-come basis. To inquire about babysitting, call Fandel at (309) 822-4296.

Cost, including a buffet dinner from Michael’s Italian Feast, is $50 per couple. Registration materials are available online at peoriadccw.blogspot.com. Early registration is advised because seating is limited.

The dinner will be served at 6 p.m., with Dr. Healy’s presentation beginning at 7 p.m. Resource tables will offer information on marriage and family issues, including Natural Family Planning. A representative from OSF HealthCare Fertility Care/Women’s Health will be present to answer questions. A book exchange table is also planned, and participants are invited to bring a Catholic book or DVD to share.