What is Marriage Retorno? Marriage Retorno means turning toward God as a couple. The goal of Marriage Retorno is to provide an atmosphere, a context, in which the couple can open themselves both as individuals and as a couple to a dialogue with God through Scripture. It is a weekend prayer experience for husband and wife, facilitated by a married couple and a Catholic priest. It is geared to provide the participating couples with an opportunity for a renewal of their relationship as a couple with God.

Marriage Retorno also serves to renew the prayer life of priests and religious.

The weekend is not a "prayer group" experience, a Scripture study course or marriage encounter type weekend experience. Marriage Retorno does not encourage any particular apostolic endeavor nor is there any structured follow-up. Rather, it is a deepening of a couple's prayer and spirituality, designed specifically for a married couple.

The weekend consists of four basic moments: a period of reconciliation as husband and wife; then three phases in which God is encountered through Scripture as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

This is a period of writing and sharing between husband and wife about their marriage, the level of trust and openness in their relationship, and the barriers to deeper union with each other.

Three Phases of Listening
Through Scriptures and
Opening the Heart to God's Word

Each phase offers the couple time for individual reflection, writing and sharing while listening as God speaks through Scripture. There is time for:

prayer alone,
prayer as a couple,
and group sharing.

Marriage Retorno is the step in Fr. Gabriel Calvo's vision of a Christian Marriage that leads to couple prayer.

In 1970, many couples in Spain began voicing a need to deepen their spiritual life within the context of their marriages. These couples approached Fr. Calvo, the originator of Marriage Encounter, and from their sharing and searching together, Marriage Retorno was born.

The first English language Marriage Retorno was held in Ireland in 1971 and in the United States in 1972. In 1975 the Marriage Retorno National Office was formed and Marriage Retorno was established as a service independent of all other organizations and movements. Today, Marriage Retorno is active throughout North America and in many overseas countries.

"We had read the Bible before, but this is the first time outside of liturgies we ever used the Bible for prayer."

"We were inspired by and felt the support of other Christian couples."

"We made a deeper commitment to God and each other through our commitment to read Scripture every day."

If you are interested in Marriage Retorno and want further information, or if you would like a team to come to your area to conduct a Marriage Retorno.

Coming events:
Marriage Retorno Retreats Marriage Retornos in the Archdiocese of Dubuque. They are: November 12 – 13, 2005 and
March 18 – 19, 2006 in Cedar Falls, Iowa
Marriage Retorno Conference Cedar Falls on October 21 – 23, 2005.
For more informtion:

please contact:

Mike and Maureen Oates
127 Kaspend Place
Cedar Falls Iowa 50613 319-268-0202

Mike and Maureen Oates

Joe and Mary Ward 215-362-8699
Marriage Retorno National Office
234 Hemlock Drive
North Wales, PA 19454

or

Fr. Mel Hemann, CSSR 319-266-3889
127 Kaspend Place,
Cedar Falls, IA 50613

Bishop Moderator
Most Rev. William E. Franklin
Bishop of Davenport, IA