On September 1, there was a preparatory meeting for the upcoming Interfaith Marriage Blessing at the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Richmond, Virginia. Four organizers from the Business Administrator Cathedral, the Rector of the Cathedral, and bishops gathered for a one-and-a-half-hour discussion about how they will launch a successful event, which was decided to be held on February 18, 2017.
After a prayer by Msgr Partick Golden, Faville Russell gave a short talk on the significance and need for the Marriage Blessing Movement. Later, they discussed forming a core team for mobilization, making a list of already partnering churches, faith groups, family-friendly organizations, and couples. They plan to invite Catholic bishops to participate, and also connect with local media so they can spread the word of the Marriage Blessing Ceremony to as many people as possible.
Toward the end of their meeting, the group finalized their next steps and will meet again to update each other on developments.
