Anita Draper
Catholic Herald staff
Need a romantic night out?
Diocesan couples can celebrate St. Valentine’s Day and National Marriage Week USA at one of these area events:
Valentine Retreat for Married Couples
Married Marywood Franciscan Spirituality Center staffers Joyce Heil and Carl Koch are leading a retreat for married couples from 2-8 p.m. Feb. 14 at Holy Family Catholic Church, Woodruff.
Activities include a panel discussion, one-on-one time for spouses, a renewal of vows and candlelit dinner.
“Basically, it’s a gathering of married couples,” Heil explained. “We’re going to have prayer, we’re going to have sharing.”
Two long-married couples will discuss the joys and trials of their marriage, and they’ll talk about what helped them get through hard times.
Spouses will have time to talk with each other and write personal vows for the renewal of wedding vows, Heil said. The evening concludes with a romantic dinner.
Heil and Koch conducted a similar retreat in the Diocese of La Crosse, and they saw a need for one locally.
“I don’t think it’s been done here,” she added. “It’s something we’ve had a request for from different people.”
Now that Marywood has a married couple on staff, they can provide the service for their community, Heil observed.
“It’s really good for us as a married couple to be offering this,” she said. Married couples “come from a different place” than the sisters who staff the retreat center.
“It’ll just be a time for celebrating our married life and celebrating the tough times we’ve been through together,” she added.
Cost is $60 per couple. To learn more or register, call 715-385-3750.
In Vino Veritas
Couples can sample more than 30 types of beer, wine and nonalcoholic beverages, play games and taste local restaurant fare on Valentine’s Day at the Cathedral of Christ the King, Superior.
In Vino Veritas runs from 5:30-8 p.m. Feb. 14. The fundraising event is open to ages 21 and older; cost is $30 per person in advance or $35 at the door.
Attendees receive five tokens for game play. This year’s activities include Plinko, a frog pond, mini golf and the Wine Wall, where attendees can purchase chances to win wine and craft beer.
“The Wine Wall was one of our most popular events last year,” said Jessica Poskozim, development director for the cathedral. “Attendees love that they win something every time they play, and of course everyone wanted to win Father Andrew’s wine.”
Monies raised through the event support math and reading assistance for students of Cathedral School.
“Each year the school directs over $10,000 of its operating budget towards helping students get the extra assistance they need,” Poskozim added.
For information, call 715-392-8511.
Evening for Lovers
St. Anthony Spirituality Center, Marathon, hosts an Evening for Lovers from 5:30-8 p.m. Feb. 15. The event includes a romantic dinner and presentation by Dave and Renee Phillips, Marathon, on “Making Your Marriage Last.” Cost is $55 per couple. To register, visit sarcenter.com/calendar.
Retrouvaille
Couples looking to reignite their marriage and rediscover one another can attend a Retrouvaille Weekend Feb. 13-15 at St. Anthony Spirituality Center, Marathon. To learn more or register, visit www.cwretrouvaille.org.
