Contact: Dick & Diane Baumbach, Worldwide Marriage Encounter, 321-544-3440, dickanddiane66@bellsouth.net

ROME, Feb. 8, 2012 /Christian Newswire/ -- Pope Benedict XVI extended his blessing to Worldwide Marriage Encounter (WWME) at a recent Wednesday audience in Rome while speaking with Tony & Cathy Witczak of Philadelphia, the International Ecclesial Team along with Fr. Emile Frische, MHM, a New Zealander currently working in the Archdiocese of New York.  "I will pray for you" the Holy Father added.

Fr. Emile said "We are grateful for the support of our Catholic family in our effort to proclaim the value of Marriage and Holy Orders in the Church and in the world."

Leadership teams from six continents met in Rome for the annual gathering of the World Council of Worldwide Marriage Encounter.  In 2011, over 60,000 people experienced the life-giving Weekends in almost 100 countries around the world. 

This year Worldwide Marriage Encounter is celebrating 40 years of ministry in Europe.   The most recent expansion is to Russia where the first Weekends will be offered in April of 2012. 

Tony & Cathy and Fr. Emile, expressed the hope that Worldwide Marriage Encounter would reach even more countries in the years ahead.  "The need to strengthen marriage and family throughout the world has never been greater," they stated. 

Worldwide Marriage Encounter has been offering weekend experiences for over 43years and is considered the original faith-based marriage enrichment program.  The programs are continually updated to keep abreast of changes in society, and WWME now offers evening and half-day programs that are presented at parishes and other church facilities.  The weekend program, traditionally presented as an overnight experience at a hotel or retreat center, can also be presented at the parish where the couples return to their homes in the evenings.   WWME has a presence in over 90 countries, which makes it the largest pro-marriage movement in the world.  In North America, the WWME programs are presented in English, Spanish, French, and Korean languages.

Worldwide Marriage Encounter offers married couples the opportunity to spend time together away from the busyness of the world to focus on each other.  It offers tools for building and maintaining a strong, Christian marriage in today's world.  To learn more about the Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekends online, go to wwme.org, or you can call 1-800-795-LOVE (English) and 1-800-599-AMOR (Spanish), or contact the WWME Office at (909) 863-9963.