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Help for troubled marriages in "Dear Abby"

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gemgirl

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I have mentioned the marriage ministry that my husband and I have dedicated our time and our lives to for the last eight years, many times before to people in troubled marriages who were asking for advice or help. I am happy to pass along the news that Retrouvaille has received national press today in the form of information given from ''Dear Abby'' in her column to a hurting and lonely husband in Georgia. Please read below. The ''Dear Abby'' syndicated column can be found in newpapers nationwide. This is a very good day for our ministry!

Local Retrouvaille communities can be found in all parts of our country and world wide. For information on where you may be able to find help close to home, please visit http://www.retrouvaille.org/

From http://www.uexpress.com/dearabby/ dated Thursday, August 21, 2008.

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DEAR ABBY: What do you think of marriages where the husband and wife merely tolerate each other and have little emotional connection? In our situation, my wife seems to accept that our marriage ''just is,'' but I feel that marriage should offer more.

I would press for a divorce except for the fear of making matters worse. In this case, no children are involved. It''s doubtful that counseling would change a thing. Do we just stick it out after 25 years of marriage? -- LOVELESS IN GEORGIA

DEAR LOVELESS: Marriages in which the spouses ''merely tolerate each other with little emotional connection'' are called marriages of convenience. I''m sad to say they are not uncommon. Some couples who have drifted apart have been able to reconnect through a program called Retrouvaille, which began in 1977 in Canada. Although it is Catholic in origin and orientation, it is open to all married couples regardless of their religion.

I have mentioned Retrouvaille in my column before. It consists of a weekend, plus a series of 12 presentations that take place over the following three months. The program is run by three married couples and a priest. The ''team couples,'' all of whom have experienced disillusionment, pain and anger in their own marriages, share their personal struggles, reconciliation and healing.

Before you decide whether to continue living in an emotional desert or chuck the marriage entirely, ask your wife to attend a Retrouvaille weekend with you. It might be the spark you need to get your relationship going again, and it has worked for many other couples. For information on programs in your area, call toll-free 1-800-470-2230 or visit www.retrouvaille.org.

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Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Write Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.



 

Maisie

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Thats wonderful! I had no idea you did this! Bless you for your efforts to help so many people who would otherwise just walk away from their marriage!
 

Cleo

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Congratulations on getting national press - and a big well done for being there for people in need of help & advice!
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x x x
 

gemgirl

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Thanks dear Maisie and Cleo. It''s a wonderful way to give back for the blessing of our marriage being saved as a result of our crisis. It''s truly rewarding work and every hurting couple we come in contact with reminds us of where we were and just how far we''ve come ourselves. It encourages all of us to continue to work on ourselves and our marriages.


We just learned that we''ll soon be experiencing a double whammy! One of Oprah''s producers have contacted the Retrouvaille International Board and have asked for Retrouvaille veterans (couples who have experienced a weekend as a result of infidelity) to call in to the producers before and during the show to guide the show that will be aired next Wednesday, August 27th on "Why Men Cheat". They are also thinking of adding a Retrouvaille link to Oprah''s website in conjunction with the BAN Network (Beyond All Affairs).


I imagine all of the Retrouvaille communities in our country will be experiencing a surge of exthusiasm and our registrations for new weekends will increase which is fabulous, except that we''re already totally booked for our Sept. weekend :-/. We''ll see what happens.

 

julesbeth

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I read about this today in the Chicago Tribune! It sounds like a great organization! :) It must be a very rewarding career for you.
 

gemgirl

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Date: 8/21/2008 4:58:26 PM
Author: julesbeth
I read about this today in the Chicago Tribune! It sounds like a great organization! :) It must be a very rewarding career for you.
It is a wonderful organization of faithful volunteers who are committed to helping those who are struggling. None of us gets paid in the monetary sense, but the satisfaction of knowing that we played even a small part in keeping a couple and their family together is overwhelmingly gratifying. We all do this in our spare time.
 

iheartscience

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Wow, congratulations!
 

somehowcollide

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I too am heavily involved with volunteer and service work (most of my work is management related, but I often get to interact with young children and teens) and it is perhaps the most gratifying thing I have ever been involved.

I have often said that the program has done more for me, than I will ever be able to do for it.

Thank you for your sharing GemGirl, things like this make my heart feel full.
 
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