 What is
a Marriage Encounter?
Marriage Encounter is designed to give married
couples the opportunity to examine their lives together . . . a time to
share their feelings, hopes, disapointments, joys and frustrations . .
. and to do so openly and honestly in a face-to-face, heart-to-heart encounter
with the one person they have chosen to live with for the rest of their
lives.
The emphasis of the Marriage Encounter weekend is on communication
between husband and wife, who spend a weekend together away from the
distractions and tensions of everyday life, to concentrate on each other.
It's not a retreat, nor a marriage clinic, nor group sensitivity. It's
a unique approach aimed at revitalizing Christian Marriage.
This is a time for you and your spouse to be alone together, to
rediscover each other and together focus on your relationship for an
entire weekend. Every marriage deserves that kind of attention!
Who is
it for?
Any married couple who desires a richer, fuller life together. A marriage
can never be too good. Marriage Encounter is designed to deepen and enrich
the joys a couple shares together, whether they have been married for
only a short time, or many years. Marriage Encounter also provides support
and encouragement to priests and other religious who are dedicated to
their vocation in life.
Do we have to be Catholic?
The weekend is Catholic in orientation, and is expressed in
the tradition and understanding of the Catholic Church. It is open to all,
and so a certain number of spaces are reserved each weekend for couples of
other faiths.
What happens at a Worldwide Marriage
Encounter?
A series of presentations are given by a team of
Catholic couples and a Catholic priest. Each presentation allows you and
your spouse a rare opportunity to look at yourselves as individuals, then
to look at your marriage and relationship to one another, and finally to
look at your relationship to God, the Church, and to the world. The
weekend starts at 8:00 on Friday night and runs until about 4:30 on Sunday
afternoon.
Does the weekend respect the
couple's privacy?
YES. The weekend is oriented strictly to each
individual couple. You concentrate on your spouse to such an extent that
you are hardly aware of the other couples present. The presentations are
given to the group as a whole. After each presentation, the husband and
wife have time in the privacy of their room for their own personal
discussion.
How does a Marriage Encounter
enhance a marriage?
The encounter weekend teaches a communication
technique which permits each couple to explore important areas of their
relationship in a spirit of love and understanding. By continuing the
newly-acquired technique begun on the weekend, husbands and wives
continually grow closer together to live more joyful and purposeful lives.
Our marriage is under stress,
and we're considering separation or divorce.
Is Marriage
Encounter for us?
No. Marriage Encounter is for couples experiencing the usual ups and downs
of married life, not situations that threaten your relationship. You should
contact an organization like Retrouvaille.
If you're unsure whether a Marriage Encounter weekend is appropriate
for your situation, call us and we can help discern which program would be
right for you. You can call us at 203-364-0836.
How much does the weekend cost?
A $50 non-refundable registration fee confirms your food and lodging.
At the end of the weekend, each couple is given a blank envelope and asked
to make a free-will donation. No one is ever refused the opportunity to
make a weekend because of lack of funds.
Do you offer a similar experience
for engaged couples?
No, but there is a similar experience
available, called Engaged Encounter. These weekends are offered locally
within each diocese. You should contact your local parish for information
about this and other marriage preparation programs that are available.
How do we register for a weekend?
You can fill out an on-line preliminary
registration form.
or
Click here to download a printable WWME registration form.
Where can I get more information?
If you have additional questions, email us at <info@wwmect.org> or fill out
this feedback
form. You can also call us at 860-644-7260.
More information is also available at the Worldwide Marriage Encounter
National organization web site.
You may search for other Marriage Encounter weekends at the ME
Weekend Database
World Marriage Day and
World Priest Day.
Other local Marriage Encounter web sites:
New England, Section
1
Maine
Massachusetts
New
Hampshire
Rhode
Island
Vermont
e
Matrimony.org
- Supporting, Encouraging, and Challenging the WWME Community
Click here to download the latest edition of the Spirit. Winter 2005
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