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, their
hopes, disappointments, 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 life. The emphasis
of Marriage Encounter is on communication between husband and wife, who
spend a weekend together away from the distractions and the tensions of
everyday life, to concentrate on each other. It's not a retreat nor marriage
clinic, nor group sensitivity. It's a unique approach aimed at revitalizing
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! Return
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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 share together, whether they have been married for only
a short time, or for many years. Return to top
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IS THERE A SPECIFIC RELIGIOUS ORIENTATION TO THE WEEKEND?
Marriage Encounter does present God as a focus for successful marriage.
There are many faith expressions of Marriage Encounter Weekends - Catholic,
Jewish, and several Protestant demoninations. While the Weekend may be
presented in a given Faith expression, each is open to couples from other
orientations. The opportunities of the Weekend go beyond the boundaries
of any one expression. Return to top of page
WHAT HAPPENS AT A WORLDWIDE MARRIAGE ENCOUNTER WEEKEND?
In the case of the weekend that we are involved in, a series of presentations
are given by a team of married 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 and to the world. The weekend
starts at 8:00 on Friday night and runs until about 4:30 on Sunday afternoon.
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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. Return
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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. While not an essential part of the
experience, the availability of a community of others who have shared the
Weekend and who share similar values provides a supportive environment
for even further growth. Return to top of page
WHAT DOES THE WEEKEND COST?
Worldwide Marriage Encounter is a tax-exempt organization. The Internal
Revenue Service has ruled that donations made in connection with the weekend,
including the $50 non-refundable deposit (which actually depends on the
area), are deductable only to the extent that the contribution exceeds
the amount of goods and services received. Information as to that amount
will be given to couples attending the weekend. Contributions made on or
in connection with the Marriage Encounter weekend are made confidentially.
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