Wendy: TONIGHT ON

"NEWSWATCH," THE FUTURE OF

THE CATHOLIC CHURCH WILL

SOON BE DECIDED.

CBN NEWS IS IN ROME WHERE

CARDINALS ARE MEETING TO

ELECT THE NEXT POPE.

PLUS, REPUBLICANS UNVEIL

THEIR PLAN FOR THE FISCAL

FUTURE OF THE COUNTRY.

WE'LL LOOK AT HOW THEY

PROPOSE BALANCING THE

BUDGET.

AND THE NATION'S DIVORCE

RATE KEEPS GOING UP.

SO WHY HAS IT DROPPED BY 70%

IN ONE KANSAS TOWN?

ALL THIS AND MORE TONIGHT ON

"NEWSWATCH."

GOOD EVENING, I'M LORI

JOHNSON.

BLACK SMOKE RISING FROM THE

SISTINE CHAPEL CHIMNEY

SIGNALLED THE VIRS VOTE OF

THE CONCLAVE ENDED WITHOUT A

SUCCESSOR TO POPE BENEDICT

XVI.

CHRIS MITCHELL WAS IN THE

SQUARE WHEN THE RESULT WAS

SEEN BY THE WORLD.

Reporter: THOUSANDS

GATHERED IN THE RAIN AND

COLD TO WATCH THE SMOKE COME

OUT OF THE CHIMNEY ON THE

SISTINE CHAPEL ROOF.

WOULD IT BE WHITE OR WOULD

IT BE BLACK?

MILLIONS MORE WATCHED ON

TELEVISION.

TONIGHT IT WAS BLACK, WHICH

MEAN THE CARDINALS COME BACK

TOMORROW TO VOTE FOR THE

NEXT POPE ONCE AGAIN.

THEIR DAY ENDED IN THE

SISTINE CHAPEL, BUT BEGAN IN

ST. PETER'S.

THE DAY BEGAN WITH MASS FOR

THE CARDINALS, BEFORE THE

CONCLAVE, SOME CARDINALS

SENT OUT MESSAGES ON

TWITTER, INCLUDING CARDINAL

PETER TURKSON, WHO TWEETED,

"HEAVENLY FATHER, GUIDE OUR

HEARTS AND GRANT US WISDOM

AND STRENGTH."

IN THE SISTINE CHAPEL, THERE

IS TOTAL SILENCE.

THERE IS NO DISCUSSION, NO

DEBATE, NO ARGUMENTS, NO

CAMPAIGN SPEECHES.

THEY SIMPLY VOTE.

IF ONE OF THE CARDINALS GETS

THE TWO-THIRDS VOTE, HE

BECOMES POPE.

BUT IF THEY DON'T, WELL THEN

TOMORROW THEY'LL HAVE TWO

VOTES IN THE MORNING, AND

TWO VOTES IN THE AFTERNOON,

UNTIL SOMEONE GETS A

TWO-THIRDS VOTE.

Reporter: MANY

CATHOLICS THAT WE TALKED TO

HERE IN ROME ARE NOT

CONCERNED WITH WHO THE NEXT

POPE WILL BE, BUT WHAT KIND

OF LEADER THE CHURCH NEEDS

AT THIS CRITICAL HOUR IN ITS

HISTORY.

WE EXPECT A GOOD LEADER

AND IN THIS AGE WHERE THERE

IS A CRISIS ABOUT FAITH.

I THINK THEY HAVE

PROBABLY LOST A BIT OF

VISION EN THE FUTURE.

SO PERHAPS THIS ONE SHOULD

GIVE US THE RIGHT

DIRECTION.

I THINK THE POPE IS A

REFLECTION OF THE DIRECTION

THE CHURCH IS GOING TO GO IN

AND WHAT THE CARDINALS ARE

THINKING.

WE NEED SOMEONE WHO CAN

PREACH THE GOSPEL IN A WAY

THAT IS UNDERSTANDABLE AND

ATTRACTIVE TO 21st

CENTURY.

Reporter: THE PAPAL

CONCLAVE IS ATTRACTING

WORLDWIDE ATTENTION.

MORE THAN 5,000 ACCREDITED

JOURNALISTS HAVE COME TO

ROME TO COVER THE STORY.

THEIR REPORTS WILL REACH

NEARLY EVERY PLACE ON THE

GLOBE.

CHRIS MITCHELL, CBN NEWS,

VATICAN CITY, ROME.

Lori: JOINING US NOW IS

THOMAS PETERS WITH

CATHOLICVOTE.ORG.

THANKS FOR JOINING US,

THOMAS.

GOOD TO BE WITH US.

Lori: THERE HAS BEEN A

LOT OF SPECULATION OF HOW

LONG THE CONCLAVE MAY TAKE.

THIS THING COULD GO ON FOR

DAYS.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?

I'VE BEEN COVERING

VATICAN NEWS FOR OVER HALF A

DECADE.

EVERY TIME THERE IS A

CONCLAVE, I REALIZE I HAVE

SO MUCH MORE TO LEARN.

MAYBE THREE TO FOUR DAYS,

BUT ANYONE WHO TELLS YOU

THEY KNOW FOR SURE IS

PUFFING SMOKE.

Lori: ANY THOUGHTS

ABOUT WHICH CARDINALS WILL

BE THE FRONT-RUNNERS.

A FEW YEARS AGO, I

THOUGHT I WAS DOING PRETTY

GOOD HANDICAPPING, LOOKING

AT THE REPORTS, AND THINGS

LIKE THAT.

I HONESTLY HAVE NO IDEA.

I KNOW WHOEVER WILL BE

CHOSEN AS POPE WILL BE A

WORTHY SUCCESSOR TO POPE

BENEDICT XVI.

Lori: I LOVE YOUR

HUMANLITY.

I LIKE IT THAT YOU SAY THERE

BE SOME THINGS I DON'T

KNOW.

TALK ABOUT THE TRADITIONS OF

THE CONCLAVE.

WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT FOR

THE CHURCH TO MAINTAIN

THOSE?

I THINK IT IS A SIGN THAT

IT GIVES STABILITY AND

ASSURANCE IN TIMES OF

TRANSITION, WHICH CAN BE

RATHER SCARY TIMES.

WE'RE WITHOUT A POPE RIGHT

NOW.

CATHOLICS WHO WENT TO MASS

LAST SUNDAY DIDN'T PRAY FOR

ANY POPE.

AND NORMALLY THAT'S ONE OF

THE THINGS WE DO EVERY

SUNDAY.

SEEING THAT THE TRADITIONS

ARE ALIVE AND WELL, THE

SMOKE, THE BELLS, ALL OF

THESE THINGS GIVE US SURETY

TO REMIND US THAT GOD HAS A

PLAN, AND IT IS UP TO US TO

HAVE TRUST IN THAT PLAN AND

WAIT FOR FULFILLMENT.

Lori: YOU KEEP A CLOSE

EYE ON CATHOLIC VOTING

TRENDS, WHAT KIND OF A POPE

DO YOU THINK THE AMERICAN

CATHOLICS ARE HOPING WILL BE

ELECTED?

I THINK CERTAINLY WE SAW

IN POPE BENEDICT XVI'S EIGHT

YEARS, A STAUNCH SUPPORT OF

THE TEACHING OF THE CHURCH

IN THE RIGHT TO LIFE AND

RELIGIOUS LIBERTY.

I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THE

NEXT POPE WILL ALSO CARRY ON

THAT BANNER.

WE NEED THAT.

WE HAVE SEEN UNPARALLELLED

ATTACKS ON THE UNBORN, AND

WE'VE SEEN OUR RELIGIOUS

FREEDOM THREATENED IN A WAY

WE'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE IN

OUR COUNTRY'S HISTORY.

I'M SURE WE'RE WAITING FOR A

POPE WHO SUPPORTS US IN

THAT, AND WHO APPOINTS

BISHOPS WHO CARRY ON THAT

TASK.

THIS IS A TIME TO SPEND IN

PRAYER AND WAITING FOR THE

MARCHING ORDERS, SO TO

SPEAK.

Lori: ALL RIGHT.

THOMAS PETERS, THANKS FOR

YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU.

Lori: IN OTHER NEWS, A

SENATE PANEL APPROVED A BILL

TODAY EXPANDING BACKGROUND

CHECKS FOR ALL GUN BUYERS.

THE MEASURE WAS SUPPORTED BY

DEMOCRATS AND OPPOSED BY

EVERY REPUBLICAN.

SENATOR CHUCK SCHUMER IS THE

PONS SOSPONSOR OF THE

BILL.

HE SAYS THE MEASURE WILL

REDUCE GUN CRIMES.

AND HE SAYS HE HOPES HE CAN

STRIKE A COMPROMISE ON THE

MEASURE WITH REPUBLICANS,

WHICH WILL HELP ITS CHANCES

OF PASSING IN THE FULL

SENATE.

AN ALL-OUT BUDGET BATTLE IS

BREWING ON CAPITOL HILL.

HOUSE REPUBLICANS TODAY

RELEASED THEIR BLUEPRINT TO

BALANCE THE BUDGET IN 10

YEARS.

DEMOCRATS UNVEIL THEIRS

TOMORROW, SETTING THE STAGE

FOR A PROLONGED FISCAL

FIGHT.

JOHN JESSUP JOINS US NOW ON

CAPITOL HILL.

JOHN, LAWMAKERS ON BOTH

SIDES SAY BUDGETS ARE NOT

JUST ABOUT NUMBERS, BUT

PRIORITIES.

Reporter: THAT'S RIGHT,

LORI.

REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS

BOTH SAY THAT IT IS ABOUT

PRIORITIES, AND THEY OFFER

COMPETING VISIONS FOR THE

COUNTRY.

THIS IS THE LATEST VISION

FOR CONGRESSIONAL

REPUBLICANS.

THIS IS THE FISCAL YEAR 2014

BUDGET, RELEASED JUST

TODAY.

IT FOCUSES ON CUTTING

SPENDING BY CUTTING SPENDING

AND BALANCING THE BUDGET

WITHIN 10 YEARS.

BUT DEMOCRATS SAY ANY BUDGET

THAT PASSES IN CONGRESS

NEEDS TO BE BALANCED BY NOT

ONLY CUTTING SPENDING, BUT

RAISING REVENUES OR TAXES.

THIS WEEK'S BUDGET THEME ON

CAPITOL HILL COULD EASILY BE

"SHOW ME THE MONEY."

FOR REPUBLICANS, THOUGH,

THEY'RE MORE INTERESTED IN

"SHOW ME THE SAVINGS."

HOUSE REPUBLICANS ROLLED OUT

THEIR 2014 BUDGET, WHICH

ERACES $4.6 TRILLION, AND

BALANCE THE BUDGET BY 2023.

WE BELIEVE WE OWE THE

AMERICAN PEOPLE A BALANCED

BUDGET.

WE CAN'T KEEP SPENDING MONEY

WE DON'T HAVE.

Reporter: THE RYAN

BUDGET RELIES ON SEVERAL

ASSUMPTIONS, THAT CONGRESS

WILL OVERTURN THE TAX CODE,

WITH A CORPORATE TAX RATE OF

25%.

AND IT WOULD WIND DOWN

MORTGAGE BROKERS FANNIE MAE

AND FREDDIE MACK, AND HAVE

SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO

MEDICARE, WHICH DEMOCRATS

SAY WOULD HURT SENIORS.

AND IT WOULD REWAGE A BATTLE

REPEALING THE PRESIDENT'S

HEALTH CARE LAW.

WE THINK WE CAN REPLACE

IT WITH A BETTER HEALTH CARE

SYSTEM.

Reporter: DEMOCRATS

CALL THE BUDGET A HOAX,

CLAIMING THE REPUBLICAN PLAN

INCLUDES SAVINGS FROM

OBAMACARE THAT CANNOT BE

ACHIEVED IF IT IS REPEALED.

THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS RYAN'S

MATH JUST DIDN'T ADD UP.

IN ORDER TO LOWER THE

RATES THE WAY HE PROPOSES,

THERE IS NO WAY TO DO THAT

IN A REVENUE NEUTRAL WAY WAS

THE RAISING TAXES

SUBSTANTIALLY ON THE MIDDLE

CLASS FAMILIES.

Reporter: IN THE HEAT

OF THE LOOMING BUDGET

BATTLE, PRESIDENT OBAMA MET

WITH SENATE DEMOCRATS ONE

DAY BEFORE THEY RELEASE

THEIR FIRST BUDGET IN NEARLY

FOUR YEARS.

DEMOCRATS SAY THEIR APPROACH

IS BALANCED AND INCLUDES

RAISING TAXES ON THE

WEALTHY, AN IDEA THAT IS

DEAD ON ARRIVAL IN THE

G.O.P.-CONTROLLED HOUSE.

AND THIS NEW BUDGET FACES

ITS FIRST IMPORTANT TEST IN

THE HOUSE BUDGET COMMITTEE

TOMORROW.

LORI?

Lori: JOHN, DEMOCRATS

USE THE RYAN BUDGET TO ARGUE

AGAINST REPUBLICAN POLICIES

IN THE NOVEMBER ELECTIONS,

AND IT SEEMED TO WORK PRETTY

WELL.

THE G.O.P. LOST THE WHITE

HOUSE AND SEATS IN THE HOUSE

AND SENATE.

SO WHY ARE REPUBLICANS

CHOOSING TO REHASH THE SAME

ARGUMENT?

GOOD QUESTION.

CONGRESSMAN RYAN ANSWERED

THAT QUESTION TODAY DURING

THE PRESS CONFERENCE.

HE SAYS PROBABLY NO ONE ELSE

UNDERSTANDS THAT LOSS MORE

THAN HIM, BEING A PART OF

THE ROMNEY/RYAN TICKET.

BUT HE SAYS DOES THAT LOSS

TRANSLATE INTO SURRENDERING

PRINCIPLES AND WHAT

REPUBLICANS BELIEVE IN, AND

HIS ANSWER, OF COURSE, IS

NO.

BUT DEMOCRATS ARE ALREADY

SAYING THAT THE RYAN BUDGET

IS THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON

GIVING.

THEY ARGUED AGAINST THESE

POLICIES IN 2012, AND I WAS

PART OF THE PRESS CALL

YESTERDAY, A CONFERENCE

CALL, IN WHICH THEY SAY

THEY'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO

MAKE THE CASE AGAINST SOME

OF THESE WIDELY UNPOPULAR

POLICIES LIKE CUTTING

EDUCATIONAL SPENDING AND

CHANGES TO MEDICARE THAT

JUST DID NOT WIN OVER IN

PLACES WHERE REPUBLICANS

WERE FAVORED, LIKE MONTANA

AND NORTH DAKOTA.

Lori: ALL RIGHT, JOHN,

GREAT TO SEE YOU.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, LORI.

Lori: RESTAURANT-GOERS

WON'T BE SEEING CALORIE

COUNT ON MEN US MENUS ANY

TIME SOON.

THE NEW LABELLING LAW HAS

GOTTEN, QUOTE,"EXTREMELY

THORNY," WHEN IT COMES TO HO

SHOULD BE COVERED.

IT TASKS THE F.D.A. WITH

REQUIRING CALORIE COUNTS

FROM RESTAURANTS AND VENDING

MACHINES.

SOME NON NON-RESTAURANTS

ARE LOBBYING HARD.

A STATE SUPREME COURT COURT

STRUCK DOWN THE MEASURE,

CALLING IT ARBITRARY AND

CAPRICIOUS.

RESTAURANT OWNERS IN THE BIG

APPLE CLAIM VICTORY, BUT THE

MAYOR SAYS IT IS JUST THE

START OF HIS FIGHT AGAINST

OBESITY, AND HE PLANS TO

APPEAL.

EPHRAIM GRAHAM HAS THE

STORY.

Reporter: IN

IN THE END, THE COURTS

WILL RECOGNIZE THE BEVERAGES

THAT HAVE NO NUTRITIONAL

VALUE, AND WHICH, CONSUMED

IN LARGE QUANTITIES ARE

LEADING TO DEATH AND DISEASE

EVERY YEAR.

Reporter: MICHAEL

BLOOMBERG SAYS THE SUPREME

COURT WILL UP HOLD THE

STATE'S DECISION TO STRIKE

DOWN THE BAN.

THE BAN WOULD HAVE

PROHIBITED SOME NEW YORK

CITY BUSINESSES FROM SELLING

MORE THAN 16 OUNCES OF SODA

AND OTHER HIGH CALORIE

DRINKS.

BUT THE JUDGE NOTED THE BAN

ONLY APPLIED TO SOME

ESTABLISHMENTS, AND EXCLUDED

SOME BEVERAGES WITH

SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER

CONCENTRATIONS OF SUGAR.

IT IS A REASON TO

CELEBRATE.

Reporter: THE

LAST-MINUTE RULING IS A

RELIEF TO THOUSANDS OF SMALL

BUSINESS OWNERS IN NEW YORK

CITY WHO WERE SCRAMBLING TO

COMPLY WITH THE LAW.

HATHEY SAY THE BAN WAS

HURTING THEIR BOTTOM LINE.

IT COST US EXTRA

GLASSWARE AND LABOR.

WE HAD TO SIT DOWN AND

THINK, AND REPRINT MENUS.

Reporter: FOR NOW,

THOSE SUPER-SIZED DRINKS ARE

STILL AVAILABLE IN THE BIG

APPLE FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS

THEM.

AND MANY NEW YORKERS SAY

THAT'S THE WAY IT SHOULD

STAY.

IT DID GO TOO FAR.

PEOPLE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO

DRINK AND EAT WHAT THEY WANT

TO.

ASKING THE GOVERNMENT TO

PROTECT US FROM LARGE COKES

GOES BEYOND WHAT THE

GOVERNMENT SHOULD DO.

THE EDUCATION NEEDS TO

GET OUT THERE ABOUT WHAT

SODA DOES TO YOU.

I THINK THAT IS MORE

IMPORTANT THAN TAKING

PEOPLE'S RIGHTS AWAY.

Reporter: EPHRAIM

GRAHAM, CBN NEWS.

Lori: COMING UP, MEET

THE AMERICAN CARDINAL SOME

SAY COULD ACTUALLY BE THE

NEXT POPE.

Lori: A COLORADO

LEGISLATURE APPROVED TODAY A

MEASURE ALLOWING CIVIL

UNIONS FOR GAY COUPLES.

TWO REPUBLICANS BROKE FROM

PARTY LINES TO P PASS THE

BILL.

IT WILL NOW HEAD TO THE

GOVERNOR'S DESK, AND THE

MEASURE IS EXPECTED TO BE

QUICKLY SIGNED INTO LAW.

THIS IS SAID TO BE A BIG

POLITICAL SHIFT IN COLORADO

BECAUSE JUST SEVEN YEARS AGO

VOTERS THERE APPROVED A

MEASURE BANNING GAY

MARRIAGE.

AS CARDINALS GATHER IN ROME

TO ELECT THE NEXT POPE,

CATHOLICS HERE IN AMERICA

ARE SPLIT IN THE DIRECTION

THEY WANT THE NEXT LEADER TO

TAKE THE CHURCH.

ACCORDING TO A PEW STUDY,

51% WANT THE NEW POPE TO

MAINTAIN THE TRADITIONAL

POSITIONS OF THE CATHOLIC

CHURCH.

BUT 46% SAY IT IS TIME TO

MOVE IN A NEW DIRECTION.

FOR EXAMPLE, 58% SAY THEY

THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD

IDEA TO ALLOW PRIESTS TO

MARRY, AND JUST OVER HALF

SUPPORT SAME-SEX MARRIAGE.

AND WHILE THERE HAS NEVER

BEEN AN AMERICAN POPE, A FEW

CARDINALS FROM THE STATES

ARE BEING MENTIONED IN THE

LIST OF CONTENDERS.

SOME SAY CARDINAL TOM DOLE

DOLE ITIMOTHY DOLAN IS A

LONG SHOT, BUT OTHERS SAY HE

COULD HAVE A REAL CHANCE.

MARK MARTIN REPORTS.

Reporter: CARDINAL

TIMOTHY DOLAN IS CONSIDERED

THE ROCK-STAR CARDINAL, A

MAN KNOWN FOR HIS DOWN TO

EARTH, FRIENDLY PERSONALITY,

WHO IS NOT AFRAID TO JOKE

WITH JOURNALISTS.

IS THERE A CHANCE THAT AS

YOU THINK ABOUT IT NOW, I

MEAN --

IS THAT WHY YOU'RE

KNEELING?

[LAUGHTER]

NO.

THAT'S NOT IT.

THAT WOULD BE HIGHLY

IMPROBABLE.

I DON'T THINK -- I HOPE I'M

NOT BEING NAIVE, BUT I DON'T

THINK THERE WOULD BE MANY

CARDINALS THAT WOULD THINK

ABOUT THAT CHANCE.

Reporter: EVEN THOUGH A

LEADING CANDIDATE TO REPLACE

POPE BENEDICT XVI HASN'T

SURFACED, AN ITALIAN

NEWSPAPER CALLS DOLAN,

QUOTE,"A SHADOW CANDIDATE,"

SAYING THAT THE AMERICANS

SUPPORT HIM, ALONG WITH

OTHER CARDINALS WHO ARE

LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WHO IS

NOT A VATICAN INSIDER AND

WHO IS ENERGETIC AND

CHARISMATIC.

LET'S DO TWO

COLLECTIONS.

WE DO IT IN NEW YORK.

Reporter: HE IS A

ROCK-SOLID CONSERVATIVE.

THE THREATS TO MARRIAGE,

FAMILY, TO THE UNBORN

BABY --

Reporter: AT THE

DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL

CONVENTION IN NOVEMBER, HE

BOLDLY PRAYED THIS PRAYER IN

THE MIDST OF AN AUDIENCE WHO

MOSTLY DISAGREES WITH HIM ON

SOCIAL ISSUES.

THUS WE PRAISE YOU FOR

THE GIFT OF LIFE.

GRANT US THE COURAGE TO

DEFEND IT, LIFE WITHOUT

WHICH NO OTHER RIGHTS ARE

SECURE.

WE ASK YOUR BENEDICTION ON

THOSE WAITING TO BE BORN,

THAT THEY MAY BE WELCOMED

AND PROTECTED.

Reporter: NO MATTER THE

AGE, DOLAN IS PRO-LIFE.

TO THE ELDERS, AND FOR

THE SICK, BECAUSE IT GIVES

ME A CHANCE TO LET YOU KNOW

HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU.

Reporter: OTHER

QUALITIES THAT COULD BE IN

HIS FAVOR AS A CANDIDATE FOR

POPE, ONE CATHOLIC LEADER

SAYS DOLAN IS VERY MUCH IN

FAVOR OF E EVANGELIZATION,

AND A GREAT SPOKESPERSON FOR

THE CHURCH.

Lori: UP NEXT, WE'LL

LOOK AT SOME PROVEN METHODS

THAT HELP MAKE MARRIAGE

WORK.

Lori: IT'S NO SECRET

THAT MARRIAGE IN AMERICA IS

IN TROUBLE.

SO TWO CHRISTIAN LEADERS IN

KANSAS DECIDED TO FIND WAYS

TO HELP COUPLES STAY

TOGETHER AND BUILD STRONGER

FAMILIES.

AND AS PAUL STRAND EXPLAINS

IN TONIGHT'S FOCUS REPORT,

THEY SUCCEED.

Reporter: MANY

AMERICANS SEEM TO JUST

EXCEPT THE NATION'S 50%

DIVORCE RATE.

HOWEVER, THERE ARE PROVEN

MEASURES TO MAKE MARRIAGES

LAST.

THE DIVORCE RATE IN KANSAS

CITY, MISSOURI, HAS BEEN

GOING UP.

BUT RIGHT ACROSS THE STATE

LINE IN KANSAS CITY, KANSAS,

IT HAS BEEN GOING DOWN.

IN 1996, SUBURBAN PASTOR

JEFFER MYERS TEAMED UP WITH

LEROY SULLIVAN TO FIGHT FOR

MARRIAGE.

IF IT FAILS, IT IS THE

PEBBLE IN THE POND AND THE

WAVES GO ON FOR

GENERATIONS.

I THOUGHT, WHERE IS THE

CHURCH?

THIS IS OUR ISSUE.

THIS IS THE THING WE SHOULD

BE DEALING WITH.

WE'RE SO BUSY TALKING

ABOUT LET'S GO TO HEAVEN, WE

DON'T TEACH PEOPLE HOW TO

LIVE ON EARTH.

Reporter: MYERS AND

SULLIVAN SPENT MONTHS

RECRUITING DOZENS OF OT

PASTORS TO SIGN A COMMUNITY

MARRIAGE POLICY.

A PLEDGE TO FIGHT HARD TO

MAKE MARRIAGES LAST.

OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS, THE

TOWN SAW A 70% PLUNGE IN THE

DIVORCE RATE.

FROM 250 TO 196.

ONE METHOD FOCUSED ON

RECRUITING AND TRAINING

COUPLES WITH LONG-LASTPING

MARRIAGES TO BECOME MENTORS,

WORKING ESPECIALLY WITH

THOSE ABOUT TO MARRY.

YOU'RE USING YOUR YEARS

OF EXPERIENCE, COUPLED WITH

SOME TRAINING AND LISTENING

SKILLS AND COMMUNICATION

SKILLS.

Reporter: THIS COUPLE

HAS MENTORED A DOZEN

COUPLES.

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW EACH

OTHER?

AND HOW WELL ARE YOU MEANT

TO BE TOGETHER?

Reporter: THESE

MARRIAGE COACHES HELP

COUPLES WHO WANT TO WED TAKE

A PRE-MARITAL INVENTORY,

WHICH CAN PREDICT WITH 80%

ACCURACY WHICH COUPLES ARE

LIKELY TO DIVORCE.

WE HAVE THAT PEOPLE

DECIDE NOT TO MARRY.

Reporter: AND MENTORS

HELP YOUNG COUPLES SERIOUSLY

CONSIDER THE AREAS OF

TROUBLE.

THE PREPARATION PROCESS

BRINGS OUT AREAS MAYBE THEY

NEVER DISCUSSED BEFORE OR

THOUGHT ABOUT.

YOU HAVE THE

COMMUNICATION SKILLS TO GIVE

AND TAKE AND FIND HOW YOU'RE

GOING TO WORK TOGETHER.

Reporter: PASTORS IN

MORE THAN 220 COMMUNITIES

HAVE SIGNED COMMUNITY

MARRIAGE POLICIES, OFFERING

FREE MARRIAGE EXAMS AND

MENTORING COUPLES.

MIKE HAS CHA CHAMPIONED

THESE CONCEPTS.

THE U.S. RAIDER IS TRIPLED

THAT OF FRANCE AND BRITAIN,

AND SOME THINK ONE REASON IS

BECAUSE OF THE WAITING

PERIOD FOR DIVORCE IN THOSE

NATIONS.

YOU HAVE TO WAIT FIVE

YEARS IN ONE COUNTRY, AND

SIX YEARS IN THE OTHER TO

GET THE DIVORCE.

YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS IN

THAT TIME?

RECONCILIATION.

Reporter: MYERS SAYS IF

THOSE WOULD WAIT IT OUT FOR

FIVE YEARS, THEY WOULD

LIKELY SEE A TURNAROUND.

60% OF THE COUPLES WOULD

HAVE A STRONGER, WHOLESOME

MARRIAGE, IF THEY COULD JUST

DO THAT MUCH.

Reporter: MCMANNIS

WOULD LIKE THEM TO REGULATE

A TWO-YEAR WAITING PERIOD.

A NO-FAULT DIVORCE MEANS

UNILATERAL DIVORCE.

Reporter: HE WANTS BOTH

SPOUSES TO HAVE A SAY.

HERE ARE TWO REFORMS,

EITHER ONE OF WHICH COULD

CUT THE DIVORCE RATE IN

HALF.

Reporter: AND HE SAYS

THE HUGE AMOUNT OF

TAXPAYERS' DOLLARS.

THEY'RE ELIGIBLE FOR

MEDICAID AND FOOD STAMPS AND

EARNED INCOME TAX AND

SUBSIDY FOR HOUSING --

THAT'S WHAT COSTS SO MUCH.

Reporter: ONLY 1% OF

MARRIED WOMEN ARE POOR, BUT

20% OF DIVORCED WOMEN ARE.

IT IS A DEVASTATING

THING, DIVORCE IS, IN OUR

COMMUNITIES, FAMILIES, AND

THE LIVES OF OUR CHILDREN.

Reporter: WHICH IS WHY

SAVING MARRIAGES COULD DO SO

MUCH FOR A SOCIETY.

I REALLY BELIEVE WHAT

WE'RE DOING IS MAKING

ETERNAL BENEFITS TO COUPLES

DOWN THE ROAD.

MARRIAGE IS THE BEST

SOLUTION FOR ALL OF THE

PROBLEMS WE HAVE IN OUR

SOCIETY TODAY.

Reporter: SULLIVAN HAS

ONLY HAD A COUPLE OF

DIVORCES IN HIS CHURCH SINCE

HIS FELLOW PASTORS BANDED

TOGETHER IN 1996.

AS FOR MYERS' CHURCH?

I HAVE ROUGHLY 100

WEDDINGS I'VE PERFORMED

SINCE THEN.

I'VE HAD NO DIVORCES.

IF WE HAVE A CULTURE

PROMOTING MARRIAGE AND OUR

CHURCHES BEGIN TO CAPTURE

THE VISION THEY CAN BE

MARRIAGE SAVERIES, SAVERS,

WE CAN DRIVE DOWN THE

DIVORCE RATE.

Reporter: WE DON'T HAVE

TO ACCEPT A 50% DIVORCE

RATE, AND MARRIAGE FOR

EVERYONE COULD TRULY BE THE

LIFE-LONG INSTITUTION IT WAS

ALWAYS MEANT TO BE.

PAUL STRAND, CBN NEWS,

REPORTING FROM KANSAS CITY,

KANSAS.

Lori: UP NEXT, THE

88-YEAR-OLD WHO COULD GIVE

THE CAST OF "DANCING WITH

THE STARS" A RUN FOR THEIR

MONEY.

Lori: A NEW YORK WOMAN

IS FINALLY LIVING OUT HER

DREAM DECADES LATER.

MARIAM WINIKER HAS ALWAYS

HAD A LOVE FOR DANCE.

IT STARTED AS A YOUNG GIRL

AFTER WATCHING STARS LIKE

GINGER ROGERS, AND FRED

ASTAIRE ON THE SILVER

SCREEN.

NOW MANY YEARS LATER, THE

88-YEAR-OLD HAS DECIDED TO

TAKE UP COMPETITIVE

DANCING.

I SAW MY FIRST MOVIE WITH

FRED ASTAIRE AND GINGER

ROGERS, AND I WAS HOOKED.

YOUR BODY IS YOUR VEHICLE.

AND LIKE ANY VEHICLE, IF YOU

DON'T USE IT, THE BATTERY

DIES AND THEN IT RUFTS.

RUSTS.

I DON'T THINK OF MYSELF AS

BEING UNIQUE.

Lori: MARIAM WAS ALWAYS

A LATE BLOOMER.

SHE FAILED OUT OF HIGH

SCHOOL, BUT WENT BACK LATER,

WHEN SHE WAS 40, AND AFTER

30 YEARS OF STUDY, SHE

GRADUATED WITH A DOCTORATE

IN COMMUNICATIONS.

GOOD FOR HER.

THAT'S ALL OF THE TIME WE

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