FAQs for clergy
- Why should priests and religious attend a Weekend ?
- Why is it called Marriage Encounter ?
- What happens at a Marriage Encounter Weekend ?
- But isn't Dialogue an important part of the Weekend ?
- How will a Marriage Encounter Weekend specifically enhance and enrich my life as a priest ?
- I am needed in my parish on the weekends. Can Marriage Encounter help me get a replacement so I will be free to attend a weekend ?
- What does it cost ?
The primary benefit for priests and religious who attend a weekend, is a better understanding of Family Life Ministries within their parishes/churches. Furthermore, there is a very high correlation of couples who attend a Weekend, and later become actively involved in their parish communities. This is primarily due to a better understanding for their Sacrament of Holy Matrimony.
Those attending a Marriage Encounter weekend learn not only about the sacrament of Matrimony, but also learn of the sacrament of Holy Orders. Collectively the Sacraments at the Service of Communion... or union (Catechism of the Catholic Church, ch. 3, Pt. 2). The weekend in all reality is focused on the integral relationship of both sacraments, their similarities, and their collective benefit to the Church and our Catholic community.
Compound these intrinsic benefits with statistical success... the divorce rate in the United States today is 52%. The divorce rate among couples who have attended a Marriage Encounter Weekend is less than 2% nationwide.
We have a dream that all Priests and other religious in our diocese experience a Weekend. These individuals subsequently recognize that couples and clergy who attend a weekend have a deeper understanding and appreciation of themselves, their spouse (or community if religious), and their relationship with God. Our goal is to have more Priests and religious attend the weekend, to appreciate their ministry, and perhaps find new ways to help assist married couples in their parishes.
For Catholic Priests interested in attending the Weekend, our local area has the ability to draw upon neighboring resources to ensure there is Priest coverage at all Masses on your scheduled weekend.
The movement began as a way of improving communication between husbands and wives. But as insights grew, is became apparent that the techniques used in the sessions could benefit anyone whose vocation involves close, caring communication with others.
A series of presentations is given by a team of Catholic couples and a priest. Each presentation allows you to look at yourself as an individual, and then to look at your relationship to those with whom you live and work and to whom you minister. Finally, you are led to look at your relationship with God, the Church as a whole, and the world. Married couples view all these relationships in terms of their own vocation, but the principles are freely applicable to the priesthood and religious life as well. The atmosphere is relaxed and non-invasive. Most participants say they are hardly aware of the others in attendance.
Dialogue between the marriage partners enables them to examine and "test out" the new principles of loving communication they are learning in the course of the weekend. It is a simple matter for a priest who is making the weekend to arrange informal, comfortable dialogues with another priest. We encourage you to make the Encounter weekend with a priest friend. If this is not practical, however, you may find it helpful to dialogue with another priest who is making the weekend, or with the priest on the ministry team.
The Encounter weekend teaches a communication technique that allows each person to explore their relationship to the "significant other(s)" in their lives. For spouses, that means each other. For you as a priest, it means everyone you have dedicated your life to serving. This new way of communication is both specific and adaptable. You will be able to use it in virtually every relationship and situation.
We are in the process of building a network of priests, by area, who are willing to fill in for others who wish to make a weekend. If you need such assistance, indicate this when you call or send in your reservation. And plan to spend some time with us soon, to expand and deepen your priestly communication.
No one is ever turned away from the Weekend due to financial issues!
There is a small non-refundable security deposit required to hold your space on the Weekend. This is necessary for us to reserve the rooms with the hotel and give them an accurate count.
You will be given the opportunity to contribute to WWME on Sunday afternoon. Contributions made on or in connection with the Marriage Encounter Weekend are made anonymously and you may contribute whatever you can. You will be given a blank envelope for this purpose.
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