What’s special about a Marriage Encounter Weekend?

The Weekend offers a communication technique, which helps each couple to explore the choices they are making, their attitudes towards each other, their frustration and their joys, in a spirit of love and understanding.

As time progresses and the early romance begins to wear off, most married couples drift into taking each other for granted. Other things begin to take up more and more of their time and the vision they had for their marriage begins to fade, A Marriage Encounter Weekend gives a couple time alone together and helps them to rediscover that vision, no matter how long they have been married.

What’s in it for priests and religious?

There are some striking parallels between the Sacraments of Matrimony and Holy Orders. These Weekends offer priests and religious the chance to examine and renew the relationship they have with their people. This fresh perspective can help them to develop an even deeper appreciation of their vocation.

Do you have to be Catholic?

The Weekend is presented by three Catholic couples and a priest, so is Catholic in orientation, but mixed faith couples or even those who have no faith at all are welcome and can benefit by enriching their relationship.

What happens on a Weekend?

The Weekend is residential – from Friday evening to late Sunday afternoon. It is a strictly private experience between each couple. There are no group dynamics. Throughout the Weekend, presentations are given to the group as a whole, but after each presentation, the husband and wife have time for their own personal discussion in the privacy of their own room. The only time everyone is asked to speak out is to introduce themselves to the group at the beginning of the Weekend. However, it is a busy, structured Weekend, with little free time.

What does a Weekend cost?

There is a booking fee of £25. On the Sunday afternoon, the cost of the Weekend is explained and each couple is given a blank envelope and asked to give as generously as possibly in the light of what they can afford. We wouldn’t want anyone to miss the opportunity of experiencing such a rewarding weekend because of a shortage of money.

When is the next Weekend?

Please see our list of forthcoming Weekends for details

What about engaged couples?

There are also Engaged Encounter Weekends, which give the engaged couples the opportunity to talk openly about their attitudes and values and to take an honest look at the way they want to live their future lives together. These Weekends are run on similar lines to the Marriage Encounter Weekends.

Do other denominations offer Weekends?

Yes, there are Baptist and Anglican Marriage Encounter sites too.