ENCOUNTER CHRIST
THE SOURCE OF CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE

The weekend retreat offers a more intimate, intensive marriage preparation experience for engaged couples. Your time will include conferences about specific aspects of the sacrament of marriage, and time for private discussion as a couple. There will be group discussion opportunities, through which you can offer input, ask questions, and learn from (and about) your fellow retreatants.  In addition to the conferences, personal dialogue and group discussion, you will have opportunities for prayer, Eucharistic Adoration, reception of the Sacrament of Confession, and participation in the celebration of Mass. There will be time for couples to meet and talk with each other outside of structured discussion times, during meals, at breaks, and at our opening night social

In the past, the marriage preparation retreat has borne fruit in friendships that have lasted beyond the weekend. Couples often exchange email addresses and phone numbers so that they can keep in touch. We hope that you experience the retreat weekend as a time of fellowship and community with other couples who are walking the same path—many with the same challenges and dreams as you.

Dates for upcoming retreats:

August 20, 21, 22 2010
October 8, 9, 10 2010
February 4, 5, 6, 2011
June 10, 11, 12, 2011

The cost of the retreat weekend is $395 per couple.

To register for the weekend retreat, click the following link:
 MARRIAGE PREPARATION PROGRAM REGISTRATION .

I'm not Catholic and didn't know what to expect. My experience
was wonderful. Bringing this spiritual element into marriage is
something that many couples may not get to experience. I'm so
happy we did.

We learned a lot about each other and have a much stronger relationship because of it. This retreat has been a wonderful blessing in our lives. The grounds are wonderful, the late night walks allowed us to discuss the previous topic, and the overall schedule was excellent.

Malvern Retreat House – Family Life Center

Our retreat weekend is held on the beautiful grounds of the Malvern Retreat House, St. Joseph’s in the Hills. The Family Life Center – where we will stay and have all of our activities – boasts comfortable rooms, a spacious dining room where delicious meals are served, and a beautiful Chapel where individuals and couples can spend time with the Lord.

Our weekend retreat is focused on the Word of God, and what it tells us about who we are and how we are to live. Scripture has been described as a kind of “love letter” from God to His people, and it is right to say that God loves us and desires the very best for us. He particularly desires your marriage to be a reflection of His love in the world. During the course of this retreat weekend, you will have the opportunity to enter more deeply into your relationship with each other and with God, and take a break from the business of planning the wedding day.  We hope you take this time to consider the lifetime of love, friendship, sacrifice and self-giving that will be your married life together.

Two days’ time has profoundly expanded my faith
and optimism. Sharing with my fiancée and the
others here has cleared away my doubts and
expanded my love for all, as well as my future wife.

All of our retreats begin with registration on Friday night at 5:30 PM, and dinner at 6:30. You will enjoy 5 delicious meals during your stay with us, snacks throughout the weekend, and a social on Friday night to meet your fellow retreatants. The cook and wait staff at Malvern are very accommodating of any special dietary needs you may have. Please let us know ahead of time if you have particular needs. Each retreat participant will have his/her own room, complete with bed linens, towel and wash cloth, and private bath. Please bring your own toiletries and an alarm clock. We provide private rooms for everyone to ensure a comfortable and restful weekend that allows each of you time to pray and rest in quiet as needed. We ask all of our retreatants, despite what your living situations may be, to respect this room arrangement and refrain from visiting your fiancé’s room, other than meeting to go to a meal or conference.

If you have questions about the retreat weekend please contact Ann M. Hanincik at ahaninci@adphila.org, or 215.587.3686.

I’ve read a lot about marriage so I know the Church deems it a holy and beautiful vocation; however it was really helpful to have certain passages de-mystified (Ephesians 5) as I had struggled with exactly what that meant and would look like practically.