What is Marriage Encounter?
Marriage Encounter is a process designed to give you and your spouse the opportunity to examine your life together, to look at your weaknesses and strong points, attitudes toward each other and toward family, joys, hurts, disappointments, desires, ambitions, and frustrations. This is done openly and honestly in a face-to-face, heart-to-heart encounter with the one person you have chosen to live with for the rest of your life.
Who can make an Encounter?
Marriage Encounter is designed for married couples who want to make their marriages better. Newly married couples and couples married over 50 years have all found the Encounter weekend beneficial. Couples of all faiths are encouraged to explore and strengthen the meaning of their married lives from their own faith perspectives.
How does it work?
The emphasis of the program is on personal reflection and communication between husband and wife. There are no group discussions or group dynamics. The team of couples who lead the M.E. process are people who have found Marriage Encounter so beneficial to their marriages and family lives that they have volunteered to help you discover the gift of renewed love in your marriage too. The team members share experiences from their own lives and suggest techniques and questions that will help you reflect and write personal thoughts which you will share only with your spouse through dialog.
What is the cost?
A small fee is charged to confirm your registration. It is not refundable but can be applied to any weekend at any future date. At the end of the weekend you will be asked to make a free-will donation based on the actual cost of the weekend. However, no couple is expected to pay more than they feel the weekend is worth or can afford.
How did this start?
In 1952, Father Gabriel Calvo and a group of married couples in Spain developed the Marriage Encounter process. Since then, it has spread around the world. There are several expressions in the United States, including Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, and interfaith groups. Central Iowa Marriage Encounter is affiliated with National Marriage Encounter (NME) and welcomes members of any faith. Although the origins of the Central Iowa group were Lutheran, CIME now maintains its organization and funds independent of any church.Home | Local Activities | Purpose | FAQs | Testimonials
Contacts: |
Kent and Jeannette Babcock |
Updated August 26, 2010.
©CIME, 2007