elpasolascruces.engagedencounter.comCatholic Engaged Encounter El Paso-Las Cruces

FAQ Volunteer Donate Contact Make a Reservation Make a ReservationAbout FAQ Volunteer Donate Contact Make a Reservation Make a Reservation Catholic Engaged Encounter El Paso-Las Cruces A Wedding Is A Day, A Marriage Is A Lifetime® Reserve Today Learn More Welcome Reserve Today Congratulations on your engagement and welcome to the Catholic Engaged Encounter (CEE) of El Paso – Las Cruces Community! CEE was started by the Diocese of El Paso in 1976 and we have been serving the El Paso Diocese since then. In addition in 1982 we also started serving the Diocese of Las Cruces. CEE Retreats are presented in English. The retreat is for a man and woman (couple) in preparation for their Sacramental Marriage based on the teachings and values of the Roman Catholic Church. While CEE is Catholic in nature; it is open to all faith couples. We warmly welcome any engaged couple that needs to complete a pre-cana program for marriage in the Catholic Church. Registration is per Couple. Our Community Our community currently hosts six (6) retreats per year and has several team couples that volunteer their time to share the gift of marriage with engaged couples. We are also very blessed and thankful to have priests that serve our program when they are available. Reserve Today FAQ Does the Catholic Engaged Encounter program fulfill the FOCCUS requirement? FOCCUS is not part of the Catholic Engaged Encounter program. The FOCCUS survey should be completed and the results thereof should be discussed with your priest / diocese and representative before you attend the Catholic Engaged Encounter weekend. Is there an ideal time to attend? We recommend the using the earlier the better” policy. Many parishes require you to start marriage prep at least 6 months in advance. As soon as you are engaged, or even considering engagement, it is the right time to attend a retreat. By attending early, you can discover areas of growth necessary in your relationship, determine if engagement and marriage is right for you and avoid the last-minute hassles of attending a retreat while trying to do everything else your wedding day entails. Do we have to be Catholic? Catholic Engaged Encounter is designed to provide couples getting married the tools needed for a successful marriage. The retreat is open to any engaged couple wanting to prepare for a deeper, more meaningful life together in a marriage recognized by the Catholic Church according to its Church law. What does the weekend cost? Retreats are $150.00 per couple. They will be done as a 2 Days commuter In-Person retreat or 2 Days Virtual Zoom Retreat. What happens on the weekend? The retreat is not group therapy, instead, it provides private one-on-one time for the couple to learn about each other and marriage based on 5 major themes: The Family we Grew Up In, Sacramental Marriage, Communications, Intimacy – more than just sex, and Values. Couples learn about these 5 major themes through a series of presentations given by married couples. After each presentation, both fiancé’s are given time to individually reflect and write on the topic covered. Couples then are given time to privately reflect as a couple. Couples are never required to share with the group. What should we bring to the weekend? For In-Person Retreats; we suggest you bring the following items with you: Wear comfortable casual clothing; Bring a snack to place on the shared snack table which will be available in the conference room. A six pack of your favorite soda, energy or sports drink; Any snack or drink items for your own personal consumption What time should we arrive? For In-Person Retreats; please arrive by 7:30 AM on Saturday to sign in, be issued information and materials. For Zoom Retreats please log-in by 7:30 AM. What time does the weekend end? Weekends end Sunday at 5:00pm. Can I get a copy of the schedule? Each couple will receive two notebooks to use throughout the retreat. These are yours to keep. The workbook provides an outline of the retreat and topics covered. Due to varying factors, such as meal times, slight differences in presenter’s length on topics, we are unable to provide exact timing of each presentation. Most presentations, individual reflection and couple reflection time total about 60-90 minutes. Do we have to stay for the entire weekend? YES, it is very important that you stay for the entire retreat. If you arrive late or leave early, you will miss important parts of the retreat experience, and we will not be able to give you your certificate of completion of the retreat. Are there any ground rules for the weekend? Yes, we do ask that you observe a few basic rules. Please refrain from the use of alcohol and illegal drugs. Please respect this is a Catholic retreat – we ask that you dress appropriately. While presentation are given, p lease do not wear hats that are high which will obstruct the view from the couple seated behind you. Please remember the weekend is presented at a Catholic facility and be respectful of your surroundings. Please do not leave the weekend, for any reason, unless an emergency arises. If you need to leave, before leaving please personally speak to one of the team members. Are there any ground rules for the weekend? Yes, we do ask that you observe a few basic rules. Please refrain from the use of alcohol and illegal drugs. Please respect this is a Catholic retreat – we ask that you dress appropriately. While presentation are given, p lease do not wear hats that are high which will obstruct the view from the couple seated behind you. Please remember the weekend is presented at a Catholic facility and be respectful of your surroundings. Please do not leave the weekend, for any reason, unless an emergency arises. If you need to leave, before leaving please personally speak to one of the team members. What should I wear? Dress for the entire weekend is casual. Please dress comfortably. We will attend Mass during the weekend, however casual attire is acceptable. Where can I smoke? Catholic Engaged Encounter is a smoke free environment, and due to state law all of our facilities prohibit smoking, including the use of e-cigarettes. If you do smoke, each facility has designated smoking areas outside of the building. Additionally, as a sign of respect, we ask that you please refrain from using e-cigarettes or vaping inside the facilities as well . Will we have much free time this weekend? Planning a wedding can be a fun and exciting time. It can also be stressful. Catholic Engaged Encounter offers a weekend-long retreat away from the hustle and bustle of life, where you can focus on each other, your relationship, and what it means to become a sacrament. While couples spend the majority of the retreat together – there is not much free time. Couples should plan to start their day a little earlier and work a little later than they typically would on an average weekend at home. Is there WiFi available on the weekend? Catholic Engaged Encounter offers a weekend-long retreat away from the hustle and bustle of life, where you can focus on each other, your relationship, and what it means to become a sacrament. As such we ask that couples refrain from using electronic devices as much as possible – including cell phones. Can my fiance and I attend separate weekends? No, the purpose of the Catholic Engaged Encounter weekend is to interact with and talk with your fiance about issues you may not have already discussed. If your fiance is not present, you will be unable to complete the program. What if the weekend we want is full? Once a weekend is full, a waiting list is generated in date-order of requests received. If there are cancellations on the full weekend, slots will be filled in the order of requests received. Please email at elpaso-lascruces.registration@engagedencounter.com or call 915-633-9968 with any questions. What happens during a Catholic Engaged Encounter Virtual Retreat? The Retreat is a lively process of listening,...