Catholic Military Couples Gather in Atlanta for Marriage Enrichment Retreat

ARCHBISHOP BROGLIO WITH JAMIE AND MATTHEW HALSTEAD, FROM DOBBINS AIR RESERVE BASE IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA AFTER SUNDAY MORNING MASS, 3 OCTOBER 2021, AT THE IGNATIUS JESUIT RETREAT HOUSE.

BY TAYLOR HENRY

Eight Catholic couples based at U.S. Military installations throughout the southern United States spent the weekend of 1-3 October in Atlanta, GA, on a Marriage Enrichment Retreat sponsored by the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA (AMS). The early autumn retreat took place at the Ignatius House Jesuit Retreat Center on a quiet spot in the woods along the Chattahoochee River. The retreat was facilitated by Dr. Mark Moitoza, Th.D., D. Min., AMS ViceChancellor for Evangelization, and His Excellency, the Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio, J.C.D., was on hand and celebrated Holy Mass with the couples.

The couples traveled hundreds of miles across the South for the gathering. Coming to Atlanta from Joint Base San Antonio in Texas, Columbus Air Force Base in Mississippi, Fort Rucker in Alabama, and Fort Stewart, Robbins Air Force Base, Dobbins Air Reserve Base, and Fort Gordon in Georgia. They spent the two and a half days in prayer, group sessions, and dialogue, using the REFOCCUS Marriage Enrichment Inventory, a program developed by FOCCUS, Inc. USA, of the Archdiocese of Omaha. FOCCUS stands for “Facilitate Open Couple Communication Understanding and Study.”

Using short presentations in the REFOCCUS inventory tool as a guide, the couples explored topics ranging from marriage as a process to intimacy, compatibility, communication, and commitment. In post-retreat evaluations, the couples said the encounter gave them fresh ideas for strengthening their marriages.

Typical of the comments were these:

“The small group reflections were very healthy for my experience. The REFOCCUS inventory questions were nice to answer and discuss together as a couple. The retreat size of eight couples was nice.”

“I thought the questions for each session really made you think about marriage. The ability to share these intimate thoughts in a nurturing environment was perfect.”

“The material used, lecture time, exercise time, and group discussion time were perfect length.”

“A highlight of the retreat was the time allotted between exercises, over and above, for discussion and connection.

“I enjoyed all the time we had as a couple to discuss each topic and the small groups made it fun to get to know the other couples and learn more from others. The grounds were beautiful – I wish we had hiked more!”

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This was the fifth Marriage Enrichment Retreat the AMS has sponsored for Catholic military couples over the past four years: 16-18 Feb. 2018, in Marriottsville, MD; 7-9 Dec. 2018, in Alhambra, CA; 27-29 Sept. 2019, in San Angelo, TX; and 6-8 Dec. 2019, in Assisi, Italy. As a sign of the importance the Archbishop places on the vocation of marriage, particularly within the transient military lifestyle, he has written on the topic and participated in all four previous AMS Marriage Enrichment Retreats.

“Marriage is indeed a union most sacred and serious,” Archbishop Broglio wrote in a 2010 article, Married Couples and the Challenge of Extended Tours, Financial Pressures, and Reentry into the Family After Military Service. “It is a wonderful gift to the Church and society. Like all precious gifts it must be cared for, supported, and sustained.” V

The next AMS Marriage Enrichment Retreat is set for 8-10 July 2022 at the Maria Rosenberg Retreat Center in Waldfischbach-Burgalben, Germany.

For more information, visit: milarch.org/ams-marriage-enrichment-retreat or contact Dr. Moitoza at evangelization@milarch.org or (202) 719-3600.

Link to Married Couples and the Challenge of Extended Tours, Financial Pressures, and Reentry into the Family After Military Service: https://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/how-we-teach/ catechesis/catechetical-sunday/marriage/upload/families-broglio.pdf