As married couples, we invest in our homes, cars, possessions and our retirement accounts. When is the last time you made a real investment in your marriage?
Couples from across the diocese and beyond are invited to take part in a marriage retreat at the Church of St. Joseph in Williston Feb. 28-29 to do just that.
“We update everything in our houses—new shingles on our roof, appliances—our cars, but what have you done for your marriage lately?” asked Father Russ Kovash, pastor at St. Joseph and retreat host.
Marriage coaches, Matt and Mindy Dalton, will travel from Colorado to Williston to serve as retreat masters. The Daltons are the co-founders of Marriage Missionaries and have been doing full-time missionary work for the past eight years.
The couple will help others better understand the necessity of growing in intimacy with God, and with our spouse with the retreat theme: “20/20 Vision: Having a clear picture of God’s plan for marriage – a perfect vision of life and love.” This is an invitation, in 2020, that no matter where you are in the vocation of marriage, you will learn how to invite God deeper into your union.
According to their website, marriagemissionaries.org, once Matt and Mindy invited Jesus to be at the center of their marriage and the primary source of their love, they’ve had a burning desire and passion to share God’s glorious design with others. They do this through a process called marriage coaching; a mentoring friendship, one couple to another.
“God intended marriage to be beautiful, full of joy, so why do so many couples experience difficulties?” Matt stated. “Couples will discover how to tap into the grace available through the sacrament of marriage so that their marriage is a light to those around them.
Matt and Mindy have appeared on various shows on EWTN. Currently they write a monthly article for
The Denver Catholic. The Diocese of Denver’s Archbishop Aquila has them teaching future deacons and their wives in the diaconate formation there at the archdiocese. They have been married 24 years and are parents to seven children, ages 22 to 5.
Mindy explained further, “Marriage is one of the 7 Sacraments. For years, it has been overlooked, undervalued and under-appreciated. So many of us know what marriage is—the ‘for better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health’—but, few of us know why the Church teaches what it teaches, and then how we live it out. In other words, God wants to be a central part of our marriages. And, if we let Him, we will experience life and love in our marriages and families the way God intended from the beginning.”
The retreat is open to everyone, no matter if your marriage is thriving, you’re newly married or have been married for years, even couples who are struggling will find benefit. Cost is $25 per couple. The retreat begins on Friday evening and will conclude on Saturday after the 2 p.m. Mass at St. Joseph’s. Register by calling the parish office at 701-572-6731 or go to their website at stjparish.com.