Married couples struggling and/or separated are invited to an upcoming Retrouvaille retreat in Malvern, Pa.
The Retrouvaille program, founded in Canada in 1977, is now an international initiative that is credited with saving tens of thousands of marriages worldwide. Utilizing Catholic/Christian principles at its core, it is open to all married couples regardless of religious beliefs. The word retrouvaille is French for “rediscovery.”
The Feb. 16-18 program at the Family Life Center in Malvern will consist of talks by married couples and clergy, and various presentations in the weeks that follow.
In a recent interview with the Catholic Diocese of Wilmington, Del., Deacon Craig Bickel, who, along with his wife, Judy, is a longtime Retrouvaille volunteer, called the program “unique [in] that it is taught not by professionals, or counselors … but by couples who themselves have been through difficult times,” experiencing such things as disillusionment, pain, anger and conflict.
They have “lived and understand what couples are going through,” he continued, and they will share their personal stories of struggle, reconciliation and healing.
The Bickels, married for 18 years, “wouldn’t be married today without Retrouvaille,” Craig Bickel acknowledges, and its focus on honest and direct communication between spouses. He and his wife are presenters for the post-weekend follow-up.
“From the outside, [my husband Orlando and I] looked like a such a lovely family, but behind closed doors, we were struggling,” said Sarah Rivera, who credited Retrouvaille for saving her marriage in 2018 “after three wildly unsuccessful marriage counseling attempts.”
Today, Sarah and Orlando help to promote Retrouvaille whenever possible, especially through social media.
The next Retrouvaille retreat will be held Friday, Feb. 16 – Sunday, Feb. 18, at the Family Life Center in Malvern, Pa. For more information, or to register, visit www.HelpOurMarriage.org or call 215-766-3944 or 800-470-2230. All inquiries are strictly confidential.
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