Search
-
February 21, 2019What began in the Tulsa Diocese in 1999, and expanded to the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City in 2013, is a Christian marriage program Catholic in origin called Retrouvaille. Retrouvaille is an opportunity for couples to help save their marriage.
Now, in its 20 th year, Retrouvaille (Retro-vy) has proven itself to be successful. Marycarol Page of Retrouvaille said, “Since 1999, 551 couples have been served in both the diocese and archdiocese. There have been 42 weekends, or times the program has been offered.”
Marycarol Page and her husband, Jack, are graduates of the program.
“Jack and I attended the first time the program was offered in Oklahoma in May 1999. We had been separated and divorced from each other for four years. Retrouvaille gave us the tools to repair our marriage. We were able to forgive each other, move past our painful times, civilly remarry (we'd always been married in the eyes of the Church) and be happy. We've been involved in the ministry ever since. There are countless stories like ours. We've seen a lot of transformations. We are always happy to see when couples can rediscover the love for their spouse. It's a beautiful thing,” Page explained.
According to the Retrouvaille website, couples of all faiths, and those with no faith tradition, are welcome and encouraged to attend . The program is not designed to convert anyone to a specific faith choice, but does reflect Christian concepts.
“Probably the biggest misunderstanding about Retrouvaille is that it is only for couples in the depths of despair or they are already separated or divorced,” Page said.
“It is for couples who are in a lot of pain, but we also like to let people know it's never too early to go through the program. If they are experiencing any kind of early difficulty or are beginning to have problems communicating, they will benefit from the program.”
Retrouvaille is set up in three phases.
Phase 1: Weekend Experience. Retrouvaille begins with a weekend experience in which couples are helped to re-establish communication and to gain new insights into themselves as individuals and as a couple.
Phase 2: Post Weekend Sessions. A series of follow-up sessions is the next important phase of the Retrouvaille healing process.
Phase 3: Monthly Support (CORE). The final phase is a monthly small-group support meeting, called CORE (Continuing Our Retrouvaille Experience).
In 2008, Retrouvaille had a private audience with His Holiness, Pope Benedict. During his address, Pope Benedict said, “When a couple goes through hardship or, as your experience proves, is even separated, but entrusts itself to Mary and turns to the one who made the two ‘one flesh,’ this couple can be sure that its crisis, with God's help, will become a transition of growth and its love will be purified, matured, strengthened.
Only God can do this, but he wants to use his disciples as his coworkers to approach couples, listen to them and help them to rediscover the hidden treasure of marriage, the fire that was buried under the ashes. It is God who lights up and rekindles the flame, not in the way of the first falling in love, but in a different way, deeper and more intense, yet always the same flame.”
Retrouvaille also received Canonical recognition in 2016 by the Archbishop of Edmonton, Richard Smith, in the Curia of the Archdiocese of Edmonton.
Jolene Schonchin is a freelance writer for the Sooner Catholic.
Retrouvaille is a program designed to help struggling marriages regain their health will be March 1-3. Contact Jack and Marycarol Page at (405) 443-3541, [email protected] or visit www.helpourmarriage.com.
