The Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend:
Enriching the Sacramental Bonds of Matrimony
I
t’s not a retreat — rather, it’s an opportunity for married couples in Immaculate Conception Parish to step back from the world and enrich their marriages during the Worldwide Marriage Encounter (WWME), set for Feb. 11-13 at Subiaco Coury House in Subiaco, Ark. Anne and Mike Mancino of Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish in the Diocese of Little Rock will be taking part as WWME leaders during the session. Worldwide Marriage Encounter is a global organization established in 1968 to offer a weekend for married couples, priests, and religious. Participants don’t have to be Catholic, but couples must meet the Church’s definition of a married couple — i.e., a man and a woman.
“The activity during the weekends is a marriage enrichment program,” Mike says. “What takes place during the weekend is that three couples and a priest are the presenting team. They offer talks and share their experiences.” Participant couples then return to their rooms to engage in dialogue to share their thoughts and feelings. “One of the things we teach is how to communicate better about your feelings and what is important in marriage,” Mike says. “It is an opportunity to create a dialogue with each other and God to create a better understanding of what it means to be married. You focus on the ups and downs of married life.” Both Mike and Anne emphasize that the weekends are not group discussions, nor are they marriage counseling sessions. There is no sharing with the other participants. “You find that your marriage improves,” Anne says. “You will find a deeper connection with each other, that you’re willing to be more open,” Mike says. “One of the ways is you learn to listen in a new way — you realize things you didn’t before. You find God’s direction for your marriage. You realize your love is a choice and you have a deeper relationship.” “We were married 18 years before we did a weekend and it made a big difference,” Anne says. “It got us to talk about things we had ignored — important things. It is a chance to have a weekend away to focus on your marriage. There are no distractions.”
Information about the weekend will be posted in our weekly bulletins. There also is an opportunity to log on to wwme.org for the national website to obtain more information about the experience. The Mancinos also welcome calls at 501-831-0931. 7
