MARRIAGE RETREAT
December 12 @ 3:00 pm - December 14 @ 10:00 am
One Flesh: I Get to Love You
A Weekend of Renewal for Christian Marriages
Deacon Charlie & Jessica Echeverry, Retreat Leaders
Marriage is beautiful, but it is also a spiritual battleground. Every couple discovers, at some point, that loving one another the way Christ calls us to love can feel harder than expected. This retreat offers couples a chance to step away from the noise, reconnect with God, and rediscover each other within the peace of the desert.
Throughout the weekend, you and your spouse will explore what it truly means to be One Flesh:
What To Expect
It is a spiritual experience designed to help you: see clearly, love deeply, forgive freely, and live your Christian mission as one.
Throughout the weekend, you and your spouse will explore what it truly means to be One Flesh:
- Embrace God’s design as man and woman
- Heal what has quietly wounded your unity
- Rediscover intimacy, purpose, and the grace to say, “I get to love you”
What To Expect
- A welcoming, peaceful Benedictine environment (desert, monastic, prayer)
- Honest, relatable talks rooted in Scripture, real-life experience, and the complementarity of man and woman
- Time for reflection, prayer, silence, and conversation as a couple
- Opportunities for healing and renewed connection
- Practical tools to help you love one another with greater freedom and joy
- A special surprise on the last day
It is a spiritual experience designed to help you: see clearly, love deeply, forgive freely, and live your Christian mission as one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do we need to be Catholic to attend?The retreat is rooted in Catholic teaching and sacramental spirituality, but any Christian couple open to prayer and faith-based marriage formation is welcome
What will we be doing all weekend?
We will gather together following the movement of the Abbey. We have planned the itinerary around the monks' daily schedule. This allows us to participate in the monks' daily prayers and Mass and make it on time for communal meals. There is no group sharing required.
Is this counseling or therapy?
No. This is not counseling or clinical intervention. It is a spiritual marriage renewal retreat focused on faith, healing, communication, and connection. Deacon Charlie and Jess will make themselves available at different free periods to meet with couples if they are interested.
Will we have to talk in front of others?
No. All couple conversations are private between the two of you. Any optional group sharing is minimal and always voluntary.
What is the schedule like?
The schedule follows the peaceful rhythm of the monks’ prayer schedule.
The normal daily schedule is as follows (participation is highly encouraged but optional for retreatants):
(Mealtimes are approximate, listen for the ringing of the bell following prayer and/or Mass)
6:00 a.m. VIGILS - Office of Readings (Except on Sunday)
7:30 a.m. LAUDS - Morning Prayer
8:00 a.m. Breakfast (In Silence)
12:00 p.m. CONVENTUAL MASS
12:50 p.m. Lunch
5:30 p.m VESPERS - Evening Prayer
6:00 p.m Dinner (In Silence)
7:30 p.m. COMPLINE - Night Prayer(Sunday Vigils on Saturday)
Grand Silence follows, which lasts until after breakfast the following morning.
A detailed schedule will be provided at check-in.
Are meals and lodging included?
Yes. Your registration includes:
We recommend:
At Saint Andrew’s Abbey in Valyermo, CA. It is a quiet, prayerful Benedictine monastery known for its beauty and peaceful grounds.
What if we are coming in from out of town?
Disclaimer: All logistical information is offered as a courtesy to retreat participants.
For definitive schedules, accommodations, or facility-related questions, please reach out directly to Saint Andrew’s Abbey.
Do we need to be Catholic to attend?The retreat is rooted in Catholic teaching and sacramental spirituality, but any Christian couple open to prayer and faith-based marriage formation is welcome
What will we be doing all weekend?
We will gather together following the movement of the Abbey. We have planned the itinerary around the monks' daily schedule. This allows us to participate in the monks' daily prayers and Mass and make it on time for communal meals. There is no group sharing required.
Is this counseling or therapy?
No. This is not counseling or clinical intervention. It is a spiritual marriage renewal retreat focused on faith, healing, communication, and connection. Deacon Charlie and Jess will make themselves available at different free periods to meet with couples if they are interested.
Will we have to talk in front of others?
No. All couple conversations are private between the two of you. Any optional group sharing is minimal and always voluntary.
What is the schedule like?
The schedule follows the peaceful rhythm of the monks’ prayer schedule.
The normal daily schedule is as follows (participation is highly encouraged but optional for retreatants):
(Mealtimes are approximate, listen for the ringing of the bell following prayer and/or Mass)
6:00 a.m. VIGILS - Office of Readings (Except on Sunday)
7:30 a.m. LAUDS - Morning Prayer
8:00 a.m. Breakfast (In Silence)
12:00 p.m. CONVENTUAL MASS
12:50 p.m. Lunch
5:30 p.m VESPERS - Evening Prayer
6:00 p.m Dinner (In Silence)
7:30 p.m. COMPLINE - Night Prayer(Sunday Vigils on Saturday)
Grand Silence follows, which lasts until after breakfast the following morning.
A detailed schedule will be provided at check-in.
Are meals and lodging included?
Yes. Your registration includes:
- Two nights of lodging at Saint Andrew’s Abbey
- All meals
- Retreat materials
- Access to the Abbey grounds and prayer schedule
We recommend:
- Comfortable clothing (jackets for cool weather, it is the desert, it may be warm during the day and cold at night)
- A Bible
- A journal for notes and reflections
- Walking shoes for the Abbey grounds
- All retreat materials will be provided
At Saint Andrew’s Abbey in Valyermo, CA. It is a quiet, prayerful Benedictine monastery known for its beauty and peaceful grounds.
What if we are coming in from out of town?
- LA/Ontario International Airport (ONT): Approximately 59 miles away. This airport offers both international and domestic flights.
- Bob Hope Airport (BUR): Approximately 62 miles away. This airport has domestic flights.
- Los Angeles International Airport (LAX): Approximately 80 miles away. This airport has international and domestic flights.
- Palm Springs International Airport (PSP): Approximately 88 miles away. This airport offers international and domestic flights.
Disclaimer: All logistical information is offered as a courtesy to retreat participants.
For definitive schedules, accommodations, or facility-related questions, please reach out directly to Saint Andrew’s Abbey.
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