Worldwide Marriage Encounter - Diocese of Orange County, California
Information for Priests and Religious
You don't have to be encountered to let
Marriage Encounter enrich your vocation.
As a priest, you may well have promoted Worldwide Marriage Encounter
among your parishioners, students, friends, family. You may have
participated in Marriage Encounter weekends as part of the ministry
team. You're no doubt aware of the overwhelming popularity of
the Marriage Encounter movement, its effectiveness in bringing
couples together and often transforming or even saving marriages.
But - Marriage Encounter for Priests?
Yes. The Marriage Encounter weekends are designed in such a way
that both priests and religious can participate fully. The principles
of love, commitment, and effective communication translate quite
easily to the relationship between a priest and his parish or
any group to whom he ministers.
Priests who have made an Encounter weekend
call the experience "life-enhancing."
Worldwide Marriage Encounter invites you, the diocesan or religious-order
priest, to consider the following questions and answers, perhaps
to write or call for further information, and plan to join us
for a renewing Encounter weekend soon.
What is Marriage Encounter?
Marriage Encounter is a weekend away from the responsibilities
and practicalities of one's daily life, in order to expand and
deepen that life. An Encounter weekend is not a retreat, a marriage
clinic, or a sensitivity group. Its aim is to help participants
develop very special communication skills. Feelings and thoughts
flow more freely, resulting in greater love, renewed (and continuing)
dedication, and more joy in living out one's chosen way of life.
Why is it called Marriage Encounter?
The movement began as a way of improving communication between
husbands and wives. But as insights grew, it became apparent
that the techniques used in the sessions could benefit anyone
whose vocation involves close, caring communication with others.
What happens at a Marriage Encounter Weekend?
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.
But isn't dialogue an important part of
an Encounter weekend?
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 or religious who is making the weekend to arrange informal,
comfortable dialogues with another priest or religious. We encourage you to
make the Encounter weekend with a priest or religious community friend. If this is not
practical, however, you may find it helpful to dialogue with
another priest or religious who is making the weekend, or with the priest or religious
on the ministry team.
Please be more specific: How will a Marriage
Encounter Weekend enhance and enrich my life as a priest or religious?
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 or religious, 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.
What does the weekend cost?
Contributions made on or in the 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.
I'm needed in my parish on the weekends.
Can Marriage Encounter help me get a replacement so I'll be free
to attend a weekend?
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, please let the applying couple
know. And plan to spend some time apart with us soon, to expand
and deepen your priestly communication.
If you're ready, click here to apply!