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RETROUVAILLE
of
NORTHERN VIRGINIA

A Program of

OFFICE FOR FAMILY LIFE
ARLINGTON DIOCESE

For information, please call

703 351 7211

 

 

 Para: Espaņol

 

A Program to Help Couples Heal and Renew their own Marriage Relationship

For CONFIDENTIAL information

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E- Mail

About the Program * What will it Cost? * Couples Comments * Retrouvaille Community * Weekend Dates * Our History * Mailing List * Retrouvaille International Website

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"If only you'd communicate, talk to me, show some affection, spend some time with me and the kids. If only you'd change then I would be happier, more responsive, more loving."
"But I can't change who I am." 
We can however, change how we are.... together. 
After all, it's our marriage!         

Take a few moments together and ask yourselves the questions below.       If you can't be bothered or you're a bit scared of change,  skip the questions and phone one of the Retrouvaille numbers below to ask for a registration form.  After all, it's your marriage and only you can do something about it..... together.

RETROUVAILLE ....
A live-in weekend and post weekend program for married couples who     want to do something positive about their marriage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
  • Do you feel anxious about your marriage relationship?
  • Do you feel alone or distant from your partner?
  • Do you feel disillusioned or bored in your marriage?
  • Do you have the time or the desire to communicate with each other?
  • Are you experiencing coldness or conflict?
  • Are you feeling frustrated, hurt or angry with your partner?
  • Do you know how to improve or change your  marriage situation?
  • Who is responsible for your marriage?
  • Should we inquire about a Retrouvaille program?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RETROUVAILLE  PROGRAMS COMMENCE:

* Weekend Dates


CONFIDENTIAL ENQUIRIES:
For further information or registration inquiries,

For information please call... telephone number(s)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Lifeline for Married Couples...
www.retrouvaille.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Retrouvaille is the name of a program designed to help heal and renew marriages. In French, the word Retrouvaille means 'rediscovery.' The program offers the chance to rediscover yourself, your spouse, and a loving relationship in your marriage.

The program can help couples who decide to do something positive about their marriage as they try to work at rediscovering each other in a new and positive way. It is for couples who finally realize that their pain and problems in their relationship will not ease unless they are willing to work at it themselves.

HELP IS AVAILABLE

If your marriage needs re-focusing, please call us. Help is available. If you and your spouse want your marriage to work and are willing to put in your best effort - then we invite you, even urge you, to attend. If you are thinking of separation or divorce or you are already separated, but want to try again - then we believe Retrouvaille can help. If you know of a couple who might need help, please tell them about Retrouvaille and encourage them to contact us. They are probably desperately looking for help and don't know where to turn to find it. Although Retrouvaille is a Catholic program, we welcome couples of other faith expressions. However, as it is designed to help marriages, we do not recommend it to those who are unmarried and have chosen to live together.

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

Retrouvaille is a live-in weekend and post weekend program for married couples. The emphasis is on a new technique of communication between a husband and wife. During the weekend, a series of in-depth presentations are given to you and other couples like yourselves. Each presentation, given by one of three married couples and a priest, focuses on a specific area of a marriage relationship. After each presentation, you will have a chance to reflect on it by yourself, then discuss it with your spouse in complete privacy. The weekend is not a spiritual retreat, not a sensitivity group, not a seminar, nor is it a social gathering. You will, however, be encouraged to put the past behind you and start 'rediscovering' one another again. The weekend is not a miracle cure; therefore, post-weekend sessions have been designed to continue the marriage renewal begun on the weekend. These follow-ups review earlier concepts in greater depth, present new ones, and help you apply these concepts to your own marriage.

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WHAT WILL IT COST?

No couple is ever denied the chance to heal and renew their marriage because they lack money. This concern should not influence your decision to come to Retrouvaille. On the weekend, you will be asked to make an anonymous donation to help lighten our expenses. This one donation covers both the expenses of the weekend and all the follow- up sessions. A small fee is requested when you register for the program to confirm your meals and accommodation.

HOW CAN YOU GET MORE INFORMATION ?

You can learn more about the program by calling

 telephone number(s)

If you wish to remain anonymous when calling for more information, you need not identify yourself. If you then wish to register for the program, please be assured that all names are kept in strictest confidence.

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COMMENTS FROM COUPLES

"We came to Retrouvaille thinking nothing would work, but it was the first time we really faced our problem as a couple and began to work on our marriage together. We have been given another chance."

"Retrouvaille gave me the means to look at myself honestly and objectively. We have been given a new meaning to our marriage and the ways with which to build our relationship."

"We are finally (after 18 years) getting to know each other in a new light. We like what we see and we are experiencing true love, as we never thought possible."

"Retrouvaille hasn't eliminated our problems or concerns, but has given us the tools to work with. It has given us a better understanding of each other and the maturity to talk things out instead of just fighting."

"We had drifted apart over the years, almost living like strangers together. Our love was buried under bitterness and anger- we rarely talked and mostly tolerated one another. We found we could begin again, forget the past mistakes we had both made and go on from here."

"We were separated. I was alone without any support. Counseling resolved many individual problems, but Retrouvaille helped us to face our marriage problems together."

"Conflict over management of teenagers, long working hours and financial worries had us both isolated. Retrouvaille showed us how to reconnect to the benefit of us and our children."

"After 27 years interspersed with physical violence and deceit, Retrouvaille gave us the hope and resolve that led to the peace and mutual support we now enjoy."

"We had both been unfaithful, yet Retrouvaille gave us the trust to find each other again."

"Our love was buried under bitterness and anger. The program dug it out."

"Retrouvaille was a miracle for me. It wasn't overnight. We did all the work, but someone told us how to do it. We had a good marriage, but something was missing."

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OUR HISTORY

Retrouvaille started in Quebec, Canada in 1977. There were several Marriage Encounter couples who realized that there was a need in their community for a weekend for couples who were experiencing trouble in their marriages. It was originally developed as a French language weekend, but it soon spread to Toronto, where the community adapted it into English, revised it, strengthened the contents of the weekend and developed the post weekend program.

Retrouvaille was brought into the Washington metropolitan area in 1984 with much help, both training and financial, by some couples from New York. It operates under the Family Life Office in the Arlington Diocese. From 1984 through 1989, Retrouvaille of Arlington served Washington, D.C., suburban Maryland, and Virginia simultaneously, but soon it became evident that expansion was necessary. A few couples and a priest decided to start Retrouvaille of Washington, D.C. and Suburban Maryland, and a few couples in Virginia continued serving Virginia couples under the name of Retrouvaille of Arlington. In 1993, Retrouvaille of Arlington was incorporated, created a set of by-laws, formed its own Board of Directors, and changed its name to Retrouvaille of Northern Virginia.

New communities are also beginning in Arizona, Florida, Oregon and West Virginia. In general, each community tries to help each other. The Retrouvaille program has spread internationally to New Zealand, Australia, Hawaii, Germany, the West Indies, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Ireland and the Philippines. It was later translated into Spanish, and it is now being offered in California, Mexico, Texas, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Honduras. Retrouvaille currently has a total of 122 communities all over the world.

Retrouvaille International Website

It is our dream that in spite of all of the enormous expenses for air fare, lodging, taxes, visas and food that we will soon be able to fulfill this dream of continuing international expansion.

The hurt and loneliness of marriage breakdown are felt throughout the world. We know it by our own experiences and it is our desire to alleviate the loneliness and pain caused in relationships such as these. We have a deep compassion for wounded people and a strong desire to help them. Our best wishes, strong commitment, sincere dedication and plain hard work are not enough to keep these programs going. We need your help! We are inviting you to help us - to help develop and spread this ministry to other marriages that are hurting and could be helped by this program.

If you attended the Retrouvaille Program and your marriage is stronger because of the Program, we ask you to drop us a line and to let us know.

Join Retrouvaille of Northern Virginia

OTHER MARRIAGE HELP

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