MADISON — Matt Regner, the new coordinator of marriage and family for the Diocese of Madison, said he hopes to be able to build and strengthen marriage enrichment programs in the diocese.
“I think it is more of the marriage prep side of things that people associate with this office,” he said. “But I think there’s a lot of focus now coming from the bishop, the council of bishops, and the universal Church to more marriage enrichment. How do we support married men and women in their vocation?”
Regner, who graduated from UW-Madison in 2011, worked at Blessed Sacrament Parish in Madison for eight years prior to taking on this position in the diocese.
His primary roles focused on liturgy and evangelization but eventually included involvement in the marriage prep program Witness to Love.
Married for 11 years, he and his wife have four children plus a foster child.
Originally considered for a position in the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis, he was eventually asked to interview for the marriage and family position.
“It wasn’t what I was expecting but it was like the Holy Spirit had been working from the beginning to open me up to a change,” said Regner.
He hopes to foster relationships with priests and marriage coordinators throughout the diocese so that parishes will be better equipped to support married couples as they face difficulties.
“There’s a lot of room to grow,” he said.
Reflecting on the diocese’s Into the Deep strategic plan, he said he feels like he’s come in at an exciting time.
“I’m hopeful with how consolidating resources will help support not only marriage and family but also catechesis and adult faith formation,” he said.
When asked what sort of marriage advice he would give couples, he stressed that it’s very important to make time to nourish your friendship with your spouse.
“It is easy to get sucked into the logistics of parenting — who is taking the kids where, all the kind of functional stuff that is important — but if we’re not nourishing the friendship at the heart of our marriage, that is where we can start to run empty,” he said.
He also affirmed the importance of recognizing our dependence on God’s grace.
“Whether it comes to loving my wife generously or being gentle and patient with my kids,” he said it is important to recognize how little we can do without God giving us the strength.
“I know there’s a real need for God’s grace every day,” he said. “Marriage, I think, is a great testing ground for where we can really invite God to help us and continually renew the grace that we receive in the sacrament.”