Following Pope Francis’ vision in Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love: One Love in the Family), marriage enrichment is a major component of the Office of Marriage & Family Life. Sometimes though, marriages hit a crisis point. These resources can help struggling marriages find hope and healing.
You may be in a bad spot, but the good news is there is hope. The Office of Marriage & Family Life recently received grant money to invest in reviving marriages in crisis. If you’re willing to invest the time and effort into saving your marriage, we will invest some money and resources. Keep reading to find out how and see * for details.
In-Person Retreats
The word Retrouvaille™ (pronounced re-tro-vi with a long i.) is a French word meaning rediscovery. The program offers tools needed to rediscover a loving marriage relationship. Thousands of couples headed for cold, unloving relationships or divorce have successfully overcome their marriage problems by attending the program.
We currently do not offer Retrouvaille Weekends in our Diocese, but we do regularly refer couples to weekends in Nashville and Louisville. The Office of Marriage & Family Life will happily pay for travel expenses for any of our couples to travel to Nashville or Louisville.
- Retrouvaille Nashville | Nashville has two Retrouvaille weekends every year: the last weekend in February and Labor Day weekend. Click here for future retreat dates and registration information. The Office of Marriage & Family Life will happily help with travel expenses if you’re committed to attending.
- Retrouvaille Louisville | Louisville has two Retrouvaille weekends a year: early February and August/September. Visit their Facebook page for updates https://www.facebook.com/RetrouvailleLouisville/ or call 502-479-3329 for more information. The Office of Marriage & Family Life will happily help with travel expenses if you’re committed to attending.
Online Programs
Alexander House “Marriage Disciples”
Rebuild a happy, healthy and holy marriage through the Marriage Disciples (coaching) process. Marriage Disciples are those who have come to know and live God’s plan for marriage and now through this process, they share it with others! Couples reconnect with each other, grow closer through prayer, and improve communication as they learn God’s plan for marriage. Click here for more information or call 210.858.6195
This program is offered FREE – but there is an application process. A couple from the Diocese of Owensboro is one of the disciple/coaching couples and highly recommend this experience.
Restore | Catholic Marriage Resource
Restore is an online, self-led marriage resource that gives you and your spouse the opportunity and the tools necessary to heal and restore your relationship. Discover the tools and support you need to have a vibrant and fulfilling marriage. Couples will be accompanied by Catholic therapist Patrick Metts throughout the process. Learn More Here
“Breakthrough” Course by Smart Loving ™
BreakThrough Online gives you 3 hours of training with world leaders in marriage education, Dr Byron & Francine Pirola. It’s easy to get discouraged by our disconnection. Arguments over petty incidents, too busy to romance each other, crowded with other responsibilities. We all go through these periods that we need a breakthrough in our relationship. There is a better way to communicate when the old ways are not working. Put your marriage back on track with frameworks especially designed for the individual spouse seeking to improve their marriage.
Note:
*While grant money lasts, the Office of Marriage & Family life will happily reimburse any couple in the Diocese who completes either Restored or Breakthrough course. Just contact the Office of Marriage & Family Life, show the receipt or proof of completion, and we’ll happily reimburse you.
Counseling
For struggling marriages, we refer to Ethan Bennett (Abba Healing Services) or Dr. Jill Sauerheber. Their information is in the link below. We find that most struggling marriages benefit most from a retreat or program listed above in addition to (or before) counseling.
Catholic Charities collaborates with several counselors who offer their services at a reduced rate for parishioners of the Diocese of Owensboro through the Counseling Assistance Program (CAP). Catholic Charities and many parishes supplement this discounted rate for up to six counseling sessions. The counselor you choose should be informed of the parish you attend. CAP is structured to provide short-term, confidential counseling. To find a counselor to speak with, visit https://owensborodiocese.org/counseling/.
On-Going Support
After the root issues have been addressed through a retreat or program listed above, and/or counseling has helped the couple get back in good health, we recommend Grace Marriage for long term follow up to keep the marriage healthy. We now have Grace Marriage groups in every area of the Diocese. Grace Marriage helps couples stay in healthy communication, prioritize intentional time together, and extend grace to each other. It is either a quarterly or monthly on-going model. Read more here.
In other words, after the problems are resolved, Grace Marriage is a great approach to proactively keep a good marriage healthy because it’s like regular maintenance or a scheduled “check up.” Over 200 couples in our Diocese have gone through at least one year of marriage ministry using Grace Marriage.