Retreats in Brunswick and Augusta in late April aim to help men and women planning Catholic weddings to develop fuller understandings of their upcoming unions and how they mirror the mutual commitment between God and his people.
Brunswick
A marriage preparation retreat will be held on Friday, April 28, and Saturday, April 29, at St. Charles Borromeo Church on 132 McKeen Street. Led by the All Saints Parish’s Marriage Preparation Team, which includes married couples and clergy, participants will be inspired and challenged through presentations, personal reflection, couple conversations, group sharing, and Mass. Presentations are short videos from “Better Together,” published by Dynamic Catholic. The program runs from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. To register, call 207-725-2624.
Augusta
A marriage preparation retreat will be offered at the pastoral center of St. Michael Parish on 24 Washington Street on Friday, April 28, from 5 to 9 p.m., and Saturday, April 29, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. The retreat will help participants grow stronger in their relationships with themselves, their future spouse, the community of faith, and God. The retreat will feature presentations, conversations, reflection, reconciliation, and Mass. Topics include expectations and values, communication, marital spirituality, support networks, and natural family planning, all aimed to help people grow individually and as couples. To register, call 207-623-8823.
In addition, “Transformed in Love,” a Catholic marriage preparation program, will be offered at St. Joseph Church in Brewer on Sept. 9 and Sept. 16. Topics will include strengthening communications skills, managing expectations, financial planning and strategies, and keeping Christ at the center of the marriage. For more information or to register, call 207-217-1449 or visit https://stpaulbangor.me/marriage-prep-program.
A marriage page is available on the Diocese of Portland website and features helpful resources for planning a Catholic wedding in Maine as well as materials that describe the beauty of Catholic marriage. To view the page, visit www.portlanddiocese.org/marriage.