Marriage Encounter begins with a 44 hour crash course in loving communication for a husband and wife who have a good marriage but would like to make it an even better one. On a marriage Encounter Weekend, spouses are motivated to express their feelings to each other in a very honest, loving, non-threating way, the purpose being to reveal who we are, the object of which is not to change one's spouse but to understand each other. There is no room for counseling and problem-solving at a Marriage Encounter Weekend. Marriage Encounter does not mandate a commitment to itself like other organizations or associations.

Couples who experience a Marriage Encounter Weekend are motivated to commit themselves to each other on a daily basis. With relationship as a solid foundation, couples are encouraged to share their love by being active members of any catholic movement or association (as a couple, of course). However, for the benefit of those who have experienced a Marriage Encounter Weekend, we make available follow-up communities like the Rookie groups. Renewal groups and Love circles at which couples are encouraged to share their struggle and practice the techniques of communication experienced on the weekend. Thus the natural fallout of the renewal of the sacrament of matrimony at a Marriage Encounter Weekend is the renewal of the families, the church and society.