Marriage Encounter - Other "expressions"

Other "expressions"

While the program began in the Catholic church, both National Marriage Encounter and Worldwide Marriage Encounter organizations have provided generous assistance to help in the formation of Marriage Encounter "expressions" for other "specific faith believing communities". In addition to Catholic M.E. groups, today there are many Marriage Encounter "expressions" affiliated with Protestant denominations and nondenominational groups. There is a Jewish Marriage Encounter as well in both the United States and Israel.

Founded in 1961 by Father Gabriel Calvo, a Catholic priest, from the start Marriage Encounter was meant to be open to anyone of any faith. Faith was not an issue in the original vision. And the experience was never intended to be a Movement in itself, but rather a service – initially to the Catholic Church but subsequently to other religious denominations and to society itself. In time it began to encompass not only Catholics, but also Protestants, Jews, and other non-Christians– all as children of God, with love as the connector of all human souls. In the course of time, “Worldwide Marriage Encounter” began to feel that its asserted mission to utilize Marriage Encounter as a tool for renewal of the Catholic Church could be jeopardized if people not of the same Faith were to hold places of responsibility; so a decision was made that only Catholic couples could hold an office or any leadership position within that organization. This disturbed those inclined to open up Marriage Encounter to those of other Faiths - people who wished to experience the benefits that Marriage Encounter had to offer. And that was the beginning of the separation that resulted between what are now known as National Marriage Encounter (open to people of all Faiths, whether as participants or people with leadership responsibilities) and Worldwide Marriage Encounter (ostensibly having regard to renewing the Catholic Church). In point of fact, neither organization is in full accord with the original vision.

Father Calvo has spoken of: “One Marriage Encounter, with many different faces”. This obviously pre-supposes the possibility of a “Catholic Face” also, among the many other faces. Ironically, this uniquely Catholic face is very difficult to find in most countries, despite allusions to the contrary.