PALM BEACH GARDENS | Good marriages don’t just happen. They require work. Sometimes lots of it.
The Diocese of Palm Beach’s Office of Marriage Ministry will put couples to work to improve their relationships during an overnight Marriage Tune-Up Aug. 24-25 at the Our Lady of Florida Spiritual Center, 1300 U.S. 1 in North Palm Beach.
The main presenters will be Deacon Louis Romero, diocesan marriage ministry coordinator, and his wife, Leona, along with a team of eight others who have been through the retreat program. Beginning Saturday with continental breakfast at 8:30 a.m., the retreat will cover all aspects of marital relationships and offer practical tips to stay on track.
Deacon Romero emphasized that the Marriage Tune-Up is not your typical couples retreat.
“It’s all biblical, and there’s a lot of spirituality in it, but they don’t just go and relax,” he said. “When you come to this retreat, you’re coming to work on your relationship. We put couples to work from the time they arrive until the time they leave.”
The program covers the foundational issues that ensure a happy marriage, such as making sure God and prayer are at the center and that both spouses are effectively communicating.
“Then we move into how to address emotional needs. We have found it is something that’s not discussed in a lot of other retreats,” Deacon Romero said. “And then, of course, we go to the big one, forgiveness. Forgiveness has to be a daily part of your marriage.”
A Saturday night social with hors d’oeuvres before dinner “gives couples a chance to process what they’ve learned all day with us,” Deacon Romero said. The evening ends with a talk on the roles of husband and wife and God’s plan for marriage.
Sunday begins with a discussion of finances, which can be a prickly subject for many couples. “Then we go into the final part, the love and intimacy. We finish with Mass and a renewal of vows,” he said.
After each retreat talk, the couples are given time to meet privately and tackle exercises that coincide with the subject at hand. Deacon Romero said his office also offers a “marriage bootcamp” (the next one starts Sept. 1) for couples who need more intensive help — the kind of help that he and Leona needed many years ago.
“This whole program was born out of our relationship being on the rocks and how it was reconciled through this process,” Deacon Romero said. “We put this process together because we know it works. And then we use our own personal stories, and so does everyone on the team. They’ve all been through this process, and it’s helped elevate their marriage to where it is now.”
The Romeros have been ministering to married couples for 15 years, teaching the techniques that renew relationships and keep them strong. The retreatants have ranged from couples with just a few months of marriage under their belt to as many as 45 years.
The retreat’s cost is $249 per couple, which includes lunch, dinner and two breakfasts. Couples unable to pay the full amount are encouraged to ask for assistance. As a typical diocesan event, “No one is turned away,” Deacon Romero said.
The spiritual center has overnight accommodations for 31 couples, he said. If more couples want to participate, they can commute from home (for a reduced cost) or stay in a local hotel.
Deacon Romero has seen the refreshing difference that a Marriage Tune-Up can make in the lives of husbands and wives. Through newsletters, he keeps in touch with couples who spread the word among their friends. n
“People that have been through the retreat are referring their friends to come to the next one,” he said. “They’re asking, ‘Are there any openings in the next retreat? I’ve got so and so who wants to come.’ The best kind of follow-up is word-of-mouth referral.”
To register, visit http://www.eventbrite.com/e/marriage-tune-up-registration-876652379867?aff=oddtdtcreator. To learn about all marriage ministry activities, go to www.diocesepb.org/ministriesoffices/ministries/marriage-family-life-faith-formation-youth-ministry/marriage-ministry/
