Strengthening Families Together
Join Marriage Rediscovery's Mission
Marriage Rediscovery is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization and is supported by the couples that participate in the marriage programs offered.
Making a Difference for Marriages
Marriage Rediscovery Ministry Overview
HISTORICAL FOUNDATION AND GLOBAL IMPACT
The Retrouvaille movement emerged from the Catholic Marriage Encounter movement in 1977, specifically designed to serve couples whose marriages were in serious crisis rather than those seeking enrichment. What began as a response to the growing marriage crisis has become one of the most significant marriage healing ministries in the history of the Catholic Church. Over nearly five decades, Retrouvaille-based programs have served hundreds of thousands of couples across six continents, operating in hundreds of dioceses worldwide.
The movement's profound impact stems from its unique peer ministry approach, where couples who have experienced marital crisis and healing share their journey with others facing similar struggles. This methodology has proven remarkably effective across diverse cultures, languages, and socioeconomic backgrounds, making it one of the most widely utilized marriage crisis intervention ministries in the world. The ministry has consistently demonstrated that no marriage is beyond hope when both spouses are willing to participate in the healing process.
ORGANIZATIONAL BACKGROUND AND CATHOLIC IDENTITY
Marriage Rediscovery represents a voluntary association of communities and dioceses committed to maintaining the authentic Catholic identity and mission of the Retrouvaille marriage crisis movement. Our association, named Marriage Rediscovery, was formed to ensure consistent curriculum development, resource sharing, and solid Catholic theological foundation for the Rediscovery Retrouvaille Weekend Retreats and other ministry programs. These communities have joined together under Marriage Rediscovery, Inc. to maintain doctrinal fidelity and canonical compliance while continuing the proven methodology developed over decades of serving couples from all walks of life or faith.
Marriage Rediscovery coordinates Catholic communities across multiple diocese, ensuring consistent formation programs, theological accuracy, and canonical compliance while respecting local diocesan authority and existing community governance structures. This voluntary association model allows participating communities to maintain their independent non-profit status, while benefiting from shared resources, coordinated formation, and unified Catholic identity. In areas that do not have a community of volunteers to coordinate the program, diocesan staff members facilitate program implementation with support from ministry volunteers through virtual and traveling team programming.
Through this collaboration, we preserve the essential peer ministry methodology that has proven so effective while ensuring complete fidelity to Catholic teaching on marriage, family life, and spiritual formation.
APOSTOLIC MISSION AND FIDELITY TO CHURCH TEACHING
Our mission centers on four pillars of marriage ministry: Rediscover, Rebuild, Reconnect, and Renew. We serve as ministers of hope for married couples, helping them rediscover their love, rebuild their relationships, reconnect with community support, and renew their commitment to each other and to God. All activities are conducted in strict accordance with the teachings, laws, and discipline of the Roman Catholic Church, continuing the proven tradition established nearly five decades ago.
PROGRAM OFFERINGS AVAILABLE FOR YOUR DIOCESAN FAMILIES
Rediscover Program:
- Rediscovery Retrouvaille intensive weekend retreats for couples facing challenges or crisis, or considering separation or divorce
Rebuild Program:
- Marriage Blueprint Talk Series providing ongoing education in marriage foundations and relationship reconstruction after the weekend retreat
Reconnect Programs:
- Six Weeks to Us virtual marriage enrichment program for crisis prevention and early intervention for couples from all stages of marriage
- Couples Reconnect (CORE) monthly ongoing support through parish-based enrichment groups
Renew Programs:
- Spiritual Formation programs integrating Catholic faith with marriage strengthening
- Rediscovery at Sea annual marriage enrichment retreats
- Marriage on a Mission spiritual pilgrimage opportunities for couples
REQUEST FOR COOPERATION AND SUPPORT
Recognition from Your Director of Family Life or appropriate diocesan official acknowledging Rediscovery Retrouvaille and associated Marriage Rediscovery programs as an established Catholic marriage ministry available to serve your diocesan families under your episcopal oversight.
Assistance with Parish Awareness through inclusion in diocesan communications, family life newsletters, parish bulletin announcements, and clergy education to ensure couples know that hope and help are available.
Pastoral Integration with your existing marriage and family ministries, ensuring Rediscovery Retrouvaille complements rather than competes with current diocesan initiatives.
PROVEN METHODOLOGY AND FORMATION
The Retrouvaille movement has been refined over nearly five decades of service to couples in the most severe marital crises to those in the beginning of disconnection. Our methodology includes comprehensive formation programs for volunteer presenting couples, strict adherence to Catholic teaching, and referral to professional counseling resources when appropriate. The peer ministry model allows couples who have experienced healing to offer hope and practical guidance to those currently struggling. Growing from this marriage help program has been a desire to reach couples before crisis, and thus the couple-to-couple "Six Weeks to Us Marriage Master Class" has been developed as a proactive marriage support program. Further, monthly parish-level programming has been developed for a Couples Reconnect (CORE) group with supporting curriculum and monthly digital newsletter called "Marriage Matters" for couples in the parish.
The effectiveness of this approach has been demonstrated across cultures and continents, making it one of the most trusted marriage crisis intervention and marriage support methodologies available today.
COORDINATION WITH DIOCESAN PASTORAL CARE
Marriage Rediscovery serves as a bridge between couples in crisis and the broader pastoral care available through your diocese. Our programs often serve as an entry point for couples who might not otherwise seek help through traditional church channels, bringing them back into fuller participation in parish life and sacramental practice.
We provide ongoing coordination with parishes to ensure appropriate pastoral follow-up and integration of couples into parish-based marriage and family programs.
NEXT STEPS
We would be honored to provide additional information about our programs, including program materials, formation processes, and partnering opportunities. Our Ministry Leadership Team stands ready to coordinate with your Family Life Office under your episcopal authority to determine how any of the Marriage Rediscovery ministries might best serve the couples of your diocese.
We seek to place our proven ministry experience at the service of your pastoral mission to strengthen Catholic marriages and serve families in crisis. As St. John Paul II proclaimed, the family is the "domestic church," and we humbly offer our ministry as an instrument in your episcopal hands for the healing and strengthening of marriages in your diocese or parish.
May the Lord continue to bless your episcopal ministry and the families entrusted to your pastoral care.
