Marriage Encounter

Marriage Encounter (M.E.) is a religiously-based weekend program designed to help married couples by reason of discovering or re-discovering the need for God in their lives, to improve their marriage, grow closer to each other and improve commitment to each other. Originally a Catholic marriage renewal program for the enhancement of the Sacrament of Marriage and encouraging conjugal spirituality, Marriage Encounters are now offered by a variety of Protestant, Jewish, as well as Catholic faith expressions. Most all of them are open to couples of any or no religious persuasion.

The weekend programs usually begin on a Friday evening and conclude Sunday afternoon. Although they are not retreats in the classical sense, everyone stays the entire time at the hotel or other lodging facility where the program takes place. Meals are provided on-site.

Over the course of the weekend, attending couples are encouraged to communicate with one another with mutual respect, but always based upon the essential premise of inviting God into their lives. Organizers say that a Marriage Encounter is not a traditional spiritual retreat, marriage clinic, group sensitivity training, or a substitute for counselling. Team members are not marriage counsellors. Couples may benefit from learning the communication methods that may parallel some counselling methods.

A further attraction of Marriage Encounter weekends is the opportunity for M.E. alumni couples to meet periodically for renewal meetings after the weekends, called "spirals" or "continuing dialogue groups" in many Marriage Encounter programs.