God should be centre of marriage, family: Priest

By JUNIOR UKAHA
MARRIAGE is a covenant made not only by two people but also with God, a priest says.
Fr Paul Kote, the Parish priest of Vunapope Catholic Cathedral in Kokopo, said that last
Saturday when conducting the wedding of Josie Diugu and Nitin Sandhu.
It was a cross-cultural and cross-religious marriage when Sandhu, from New Delhi in India, tied the knot with Diugu from Milne Bay and Canada parentage.
Sandhu is a Hindu and Diugi is a Christian from the Catholic Church.
The couple had undergone a Hindu wedding in India recently before this Christian wedding.
The bride’s father John Diugu insisted that they go through a Christian wedding.
Kote said wedding was a lifetime covenant couples made with each other and God.
He said marriage vows must be respected and upheld in all circumstances.
“Marriage is a covenant made with God,” Kote said.
“It has to be respected and honoured.
“God should become the centre of the family and marriage so that it becomes successful.
“Family is an institution created and ordained by God.
“God dwells in the family.”
Kote said husband and wife and their children must pray together so that the family was protected and blessed by God.
He said family members should learn to love, respect and care for each other and live in peace.
Kote said families should learn to stick together in good and bad times and seek God’s guidance.
He said parents have a duty to raise their children up in Christian discipline and conduct so they become valued members of the communities they live in.
The couple ended their wedding in traditional Milne Bay style when the bride’s father joined their hands together and tied a bagi (traditional shell money) around their hands.
“This (bagi tying) shows that these two are married now,” he said.
“Young girls keep your eyes off Nitin and young boys keep your eyes off Josie.”
Relatives of the couple came from India, Europe, Canada and Australia to witness the wedding.