Worldwide Marriage Encounter:
What is a
Worldwide Marriage Encounter?
What is a Worldwide Marriage Encounter?
The Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekend is a positive and personal experience
offering married couples an opportunity to learn a technique of loving
communication that they can use for the rest of their lives. It's a
chance to look deeply into their relationship with each other and with
God. It's a time to share their feelings, hopes and dreams with each
other.
The emphasis of the Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekend is on the communication
between husbands and wives. The weekend provides a conducive environment
for couples to spend time together, away from the distractions and
tensions of everyday life, while encouraging them
to focus on each other and their relationship.
It's not a retreat, marriage clinic, group sensitivity, or a substitute
for counseling. It's a unique approach aimed at revitalizing Marriage.
While couples listen to a series of presentations as a group, there is no group discussion.
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?
Worldwide Marriage Encounter is for every husband and wife who desires a richer, fuller life together. A marriage
can never be too good. Worldwide 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. Priests and other religious are also
welcome and encouraged to attend!
What Worldwide
Marriage Encounter is and is not
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WWME is not: |
WWME is: |
- A weekend-long counselling session
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- Facilitators of Worldwide Marriage Encounter are not counsellors. Their
presentations are based on their own personal experiences and are designed
to assist a couple in realizing their own feelings about various aspects
of their marriage.
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- Recruiting for the church
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- Although Worldwide Marriage Encounter is associated with various
churches and is presented within various faith traditions, it is an
independent non-profit organization funded by member contributions.
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- A group sharing experience
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- The sharing that takes place on a Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekend
is a private experience between the individual couples in the privacy of
their hotel room. There is no group sharing among the couples.
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- A solution to all your problems
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- The Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekend will not solve a couple's
problems. Rather it teaches a communication technique that will
assist a couple in resolving their own problems.
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Why would priests or other religious attend?
The Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend is designed in such a way that both priests
and religious can participate fully. The principles of love, commitment and
effective communication translate quite readily to the relationship between a
priest and his parish or any group to whom he ministers as well as to a
religious community.
Priests who have made a Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekend call the experience "life
enhancing."
Is there a specific religious orientation to the weekend?
The underlying premise is that God is a fundamental part of any successful marriage. The
spiritual dimension is an ongoing part of the weekend as couples and priests work on
improving their communications skills and enriching their relationships.
This Secretariat represents the Roman Catholic expression, but there are many other
faith expressions of Worldwide Marriage Encounter (see
Worldwide Marriage Encounter Web Site Listings). While our
weekends are presented in the Roman Catholic traditions, they are open to married couples
with a valid marriage of other faith expressions. Couples who have no particular faith orientation still find the
weekend a worthwhile and rewarding experience.
What happens at a Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekend?
An atmosphere is created on the weekend in which couples can concentrate exclusively on each other.
A series of presentations are given by a team of married couples and a
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
5:00 on Sunday afternoon. Meals are provided.
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 Worldwide 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. There are enormous pressures in today's society and there
are times when we become disenchanted or take each other for granted. When we improve
our communication skills we are better equipped to deal with these challenges.
How much does the weekend cost?
On the weekend, you will be asked to make a donation. This donation will
cover the expenses of lodging, food, and materials for the Weekend. It is also
an opportunity to invest in the future of Worldwide Marriage Encounter which is
entirely self-supporting.
A non-refundable APPLICATION fee of $50.00 is required to confirm your
reservation, food and lodging. There is limited capacity, so early
APPLICATION is encouraged.
No couple is ever denied the chance to renew their marriage because
they are facing financial difficulties. This concern should not influence
your decision to attend a Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend.
Contributions made on or in connection with the Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekend
are made confidentially.
How do I get more information?
Click here to find a contact in your area who can provide more information on weekend locations and timing.
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