Kyle and Karen didn’t just say, “I do.” They let God’s light lead them into a marriage built to shine.
In a world that can sometimes feel dark, love—especially love rooted in faith—shines the light of Christ for all to see. This is especially true for Kyle and Karen Connery-Cendejas, a newlywed couple who participated in marriage preparation through the Diocese of Green Bay.
Kyle and Karen’s story started like other love stories. They met in middle school and became friends, and that relationship grew as years passed. However, once Kyle proposed, the couple felt more than a call to be with one another. They also felt a call to pursue Jesus.
“When we got engaged, we knew that we wanted to get married in the church, because we felt in our heart that that’s what God was calling us to,” shared Karen.
Kyle and Karen share the light in all aspects of their life. In addition to their marriage, the couple is involved in young adult ministry and are active parishioners at Ss. Peter and Paul Parish in Green Bay. Kyle also serves as a catechist in the parish.
Karen, a cradle Catholic, and Kyle, a recent convert, knew they wanted to have Jesus at the center of their relationship. Jesus was their light in every other way, so having Him present in their marriage was key for a future together.
“Through my conversion and truly understanding the church’s view on what love and marriage actually means, it really helped me understand and desire marriage even more,” said Kyle. “I converted in the middle of our engagement, so it was definitely interesting, that shift. But understanding the church’s view on love in terms of desiring the best for someone, desiring heaven for that person, and being able to support each other through that was definitely a very powerful point in my life.”
Over the course of their six years dating, Kyle and Karen had conversations on what the future would look like. However, revisiting those topics was crucial for them to have a successful marriage. They were eager to begin the marriage preparation course offered through the Diocese of Green Bay to talk about finances, parenting styles, communication, and more.
“There’s a lot of conversations that Karen and I had about different views on finances,” said Kyle. “Also, Karen and I had a lot of different views with our cultures.”
Thanks to your support of the Bishop’s Appeal, the diocesan Office of Marriage and Family can walk with couples on their relationship journey through a marriage preparation course and a retreat. Also, a married, diocesan trained FOCCUS couple connects with couples like Kyle and Karen as they prepare for the sacrament.
“Marriage preparation really helped us to rekindle a lot of the earlier conversations we had before engagement,” said Karen. “Marriage preparation is something that we desire for everyone to go through, because it is a blessing, and it helped us really understand where we both were at and helped us discuss difficult topics. We also see the beauty of our same desire: a life with one another that puts Jesus in the center.”
“Thanks to the marriage preparation from the diocese and the FOCCUS couple in particular, they helped us grow in communication, finances, prayer, and just all the overall aspects of our faith,” said Kyle. “Through them, they helped us grow closer and be more inspired by God.”
Carla Ferrando-Bowling, Director for the Office of Marriage and Family Life, is seeing how marriages like Kyle and Karen’s are embracing the light of Christ in northeastern Wisconsin.
“I have the joy to witness how couples are growing in their relationship,” said Carla. “Your support of the Bishop’s Appeal helps us to make this possible, so they can keep Jesus at the foundation for their marriage.”
Kyle and Karen were married on June 14, 2025, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Pilsen by Father José López Vargas, Pastor at Ss. Peter and Paul Parish. The bilingual ceremony incorporated the couple’s devout faith and cultures, and the wedding lasso further represented their unity as a married couple in the Catholic Church.
In addition, Father Jose’s homily touched Kyle and Karen’s hearts as it reminded them of the lessons they learned through their diocesan marriage prep.
“Father Jose reminded us that marriage is a kind of funeral—dying to ourselves to become one—and through that surrender, Kyle and I found the light of unity, faith, and a love that continues to grow,” said Karen.
Thanks to your support of the Bishop’s Appeal, more than 100 couples—including Kyle and Karen—attended diocesan marriage retreats or participated in marriage preparation to learn how they can let the light of Jesus’ guide their marriage.
“We would like to thank everyone who’s contributed toward the Bishop’s Appeal and toward marriage preparation in particular,” said Kyle. “All the factors that have gone into our engagement through our preparation have put us into the strong place we are now.”
The couple actively pursues Jesus and each other, allowing His love to shine through their relationship every day.
“He’s [Kyle] a light in my life every day by his actions and how he speaks to others about our faith…I see how passionate he is about his faith and wanting that for others,” said Karen.
“I see a lot of light in Karen,” said Kyle. “Even early on in our relationship, I knew she was very passionate about her faith. That always inspires me every day.”
Not only did Karen and Kyle receive preparation for their wedding day, but also, they vowed to permanently live out the vocation of marriage. Marriage is a “project to be worked on together” and a “process of growth” (Amoris Laetitia, no. 218, 221). Your support of the Bishop’s Appeal allows these and even more newlyweds in northeastern Wisconsin to participate in diocesan marriage-enrichment retreats, so they can reflect the light of Christ by strengthening their call to be a communion of persons, a domestic church and a sign of Christ’s love to the world.
As their love grows through their faith-filled marriage, the couple is looking forward to an additional blessing: the birth of their first child in April 2026.
Their journey is a testament to what’s possible when couples invite Christ into their relationship. This creates a love that not only endures, but also radiates hope, unity, and the light of God’s grace for generations to come.
Thanks to the generosity of thousands of families and individuals, couples like Kyle and Karen can experience the light of Christ in their marriage. The 2026 Bishop’s Appeal kicks off February 7-8, which supports the Office of Marriage and Family Life, Catholic Charities, parish faith formation programs, Catholic schools, and even more diocesan ministries as they walk with people of all ages on their faith journey. Visit www.catholicfoundationgb.org/2026-bishops-appeal/ to learn more.