couples

The Willwoods Community is very blessed to be able to work with the St. Joseph Abbey Christian Life Center as a place to host our Married Couples Retreats. Each retreat will be led by peer married couples and a retreat master. Retreats begin on Saturday morning at 9am and end on Sunday after lunch.

The theme for our 2010 Married Couples Retreat is "Love Never Fails." Topics addressed during the retreat are "God’s plan for Marriage”; "A share in His Mission: Forgiveness, Sacrifice, & Love”; and "Living out your marriage in Love.”

Our Married Couple retreats are a great opportunity for couples to break away from the daily struggles and tasks and spend time rejuvenating and enriching their marriage.

To register, please contact the Willwoods Community Faith and Marriage Ministry Director at (504) 830-3716. Or you may download the registration form and mail it with the deposit to the address on the form.

You and your spouse will spend time growing closer in your marriage through inspiring talks, private couple time, individual prayer time, Reconciliation, Eucharistic Adoration and the celebration of the Mass.

Through God’s grace, each couple may walk away with a renewed strength and a deeper commitment to each other and God.

Our retreats are not intended for deeply struggling marriages. If you need assistance in finding help in this area, please contact the Family Life Apostolate or please call us and we can help you in your search.

Saint Joseph Abbey is located on a 1,200-acre site four miles north of Covington, La. The beautiful grounds provide each retreatant opportunities for quiet and reflective freedom.

The Christian Life Center can accommodate 20 couples. Every couple will receive two adjoined private rooms with one queen and one double bed and two private baths. Guest rooms, chapel, lounge, library, and dining room are all located in the same building

If you are traveling a far distance or if you would just like to start your weekend getaway a little early, you can make arrangements with the Christian Life Center to arrive on Friday evening. All that is requested is for you to make a small $45 donation. A breakfast will be available at 8am. Please make this additional check out to Willwoods Community.

There are no fees for the Married Couples Retreat; this program operates through the donations of our guests. Those who are able to give more than the expenses involved, please do so. Those of more limited means may give whatever they can.

Pre-registration deposit is $50. The total suggested donation for the retreat is $220 per couple. ($50 Pre-registration deposit + $170 = the total $220 suggested donation)

“Awesome retreat!!”
“MUST ATTEND!”
“Wonderful!”
“Great retreat. … very well organized”
“This weekend saved our marriage. It provided just what we needed to reunite as a couple.”
“Hope to be back soon”
“Such a warm sanctified experience. I enjoyed getting to know the other couples.”
“Everything was great. Fellowship, Food, and Presentations.”
“All was Great”
“Well organized and time balanced. Content and speakers was timely and on point. Well done.”
“Well run from start to finish”
“I appreciate the focus on God’s design for us as a couple and the resources given out”
“Keep it up – you are offering what is needed. Thank you …the entire retreat team. Considering other retreat facilities for couples I have attended – accommodations were great!”
“It was a wonderful experience!”
“It was wonderful spending the weekend with other couples that want to enter Christ in their marriage”
“Overall it was great! I can’t wait to come again. It helped me to refocus on the importance of working on our relationship and ways to enhance our love for each other and God”
“It was an excellent experience and very enlightening really liked hearing stories and sharing stories with other couples. Helped us to fell closer to God”
“I am thankful to be able to be with other married couples to deepen our love for Christ and each other. Thank you for providing such a wonderful retreat”
“It was very impressive and a great growth experience for us as a couple. Thank you!”
“It has been a wonderful experience for us as a married couple. Speaking to other couples with their stories was very helpful to our marriage as we are going through tough times.”
“It was a wonderful experience! Truly refreshing to hear ideas and suggestions to help enhance our sacrament and our Catholic faith!!”
“It was a beautiful weekend that gives me great hope that my marriage will be invigorated, and rather than accept the state of mediocrity, and strive to love better and try greater intimacy.”
“Very enlightening and very spiritual – hopeful. Help us to realize how important Jesus is in our marriage.”