Distance, loneliness, negativity, criticism, and arguments are all too common.
If you experience these or similar challenges, you are not alone!
With the realities and responsibilities of daily life, raising kids, balancing work and home...
The connection that brought you together in the first place is hard to find.
Maybe it's hard to find time for each other. And when you do, it's hard to have meaningful conversations.
No matter where you are in your marriage, here's the good news we want to share with you:
The transformative power of God's grace is always there for you!
You can learn how to invite God into your marriage and build deeper connection with each other with our Cana Feast Retreat Library.
to More Connection
WATCH a retreat. Pick any of the more than 40 retreats included in the library on topics like communication, dating, finances, temperaments, intimacy, and so much more! Make it a date: Pour a favorite drink, share a tasty snack, and snuggle up!
DISCUSS the retreat using the provided handouts with summaries of the key points and focused discussion questions or activities to do as a couple. This helps you make what you learned in the retreat practical and real in your own marriage.
REPEAT! Pick another retreat and do it again!
To have regular reminders of how to nurture our marriage in a Catholic way -- that's been really wonderful"
~Theresa
I was blown away by all of the great resources and information that you are providing! I'm so excited!"
~Maggie
Oh, the good things that have happened in our marriage. Thank you Nathan and Sarah for your ministry!"
~Lane
LIFETIME access
40+ At Home Retreats ($500 value)
Exercises + Guides for Each Retreat ($50 value)
Guest Experts and Interviews ($400 value)
More connection and love in marriage (priceless!)
"I was blown away by all of the great resources and information!"
~Maggie
Inside the Cana Feast Retreat Library, You'll have LIFETIME access to tools and resources providing fun, practical, and effective ways to connect with each other in practically all aspects of your marriage.
Clear the clutter, light a candle, play some music and get yourself something tasty to eat or drink...then grab your beloved for a date night in!
Every mini retreat is a special date night in, comprised of a short, fun, informative and faith-filled videos (created by us!) to give YOU practical skills and reflections to help you grow closer to one another.
Retreats are organized by theme, including:
✅ Spirituality and Theology
✅ Communication and Forgiveness
✅ Sex and Fertility
✅ Temperaments
✅ Dealing with Difficulty
✅ Money and Marriage
✅ Family Life
✅ Creativity and Fun
VALUE: $500
These downloadable workbooks guide you through meaningful discussions and help you make practical changes in your marriage (no matter how busy your days are!)
Along with every retreat, we provide specific exercises and practical guides to help you apply the date-night lessons directly to your own marriage. You'll know exactly how to turn up the volume on your love and relational satisfaction so you're on the same page as your beloved, feeling even more fulfilled and excited to spend each day together.
VALUE: $50
Exclusive interviews and presentations from experts in a variety fields are included in the library.
Topics from guest experts include:
Ignation Spirituality and Communication
Making your Family Less Chaotic
The Temperaments in your Marriage
Nutrition, Fertility, and Wellness
Natural Family Planning
Marriage and Money
Dealing with Survival Mode
and many more!
VALUE: $400
Married 25 years, parents of 5 kids ages 5 - 21, leaders in Catholic marriage ministry
We know what it's like to feel overwhelmed, exhausted, alone, and resentful trying to keep up with the house, the kids, the job, and all the things.
We also know what it's like to reconnect and turn it around.
We see the mystery of the Wedding at Cana unfold in our own life, as Jesus' grace touches and transforms our sacramental marriage into a source of abundantly flowing joy, peace, and love.
We are dedicated to helping other married couples embrace the joy, peace and grace that God wants to give them in their marriage.
We know you're busy!
In fact, we created these at-home, on-demand retreats specifically to give busy couples the same structured connection with each other that usually only happens on a marriage retreat -- but in a way that fits into busy schedules at home! 🏡❤️
Most of the retreat videos are between 20 and 40 minutes (ish).
We tell you how long each retreat takes, and how much time you should allow for the follow up conversation or activity, so you can pick one that fits the amount of time you have.
And if you need help figuring out how to make the time for your marriage, here are some additional tips:
❤️ What can you say "no" to?
if you are so busy that you can't even find an hour in a month to connect with your spouse, we gently invite you to consider saying "no" to a lesser good, so that you can say "yes" to your vocation of marriage.
❤️ Can you be flexible?
Date nights don't actually have to be at night! Maybe Saturday morning coffee before the kids wake up, or Sunday afternoon after lunch would work for you.
Here are the important things to make sure your marriage doesn't drift apart:
1) You have to reserve some time for each other to deeply connect
2) You have to make that time for connection effective (or else you'll just be staring at each other wondering what to talk about!)
You have to find the time.
But once you do, the Cana Feast Retreat Library will help you make the most of your time together, so you will never need to worry about drifting apart.
Absolutely not!
These aren't just assignments to check off.
They are invitations to learn more about each other and fall more deeply in love with each other. 💕
Just like an in-person marriage retreat provides guided discussions and structure, these retreats give you everything you need to connect deeply without the pressure of figuring it out on your own.
And in the process, you'll also learn and practice practical skills like communication and forgiveness that will foster your connection and love with each other every day (not just on date night).
Many people tell us, "We just aren't emotional or touchy-feely types."
That's NOT what these retreats are about!
These retreats are designed to dig below the surface so that you can discuss and explore important topics together like:
➡️ What are your dreams or goals for the future?
➡️ How do you typically respond in various situations (what's your temperament?)
➡️ What specifically makes you feel loved and appreciated?
➡️ What kind of dates would you really enjoy (in addition to the Cana Feast Retreats, of course! 😉)
➡️ What do you think our top priority for our finances should be right now?
Many couples have trouble navigating these kinds of topics (and more!)
Having conversations about these things is a skill that can be learned. We're proof of that, because we didn't know how to address these topics early in our marriage, either!
It led to assumptions, misunderstandings, and unnecessary hurt. We realized that if we wanted a strong and connected marriage, we'd have to learn how to talk about the big stuff like money, intimacy, and dreams.
That's why we've built everything we've learned right into each retreat.
Each retreat gives you a structured and guided process for having a specific discussion about the retreat topic in a warm and loving way.
We break down big topics into manageable questions and give you lots of examples from our own experience and hundreds of other couples.
We tell you exactly how to share your thoughts with your spouse.
And we tell you how to listen to what your spouse is saying and receive it with love and understanding.
So if you aren't good at "deep conversations," then the Cana Feast Retreat Library is exactly what you need.
We get it. You've invested time and money and hope before, only to be disappointed.
Most programs fail not because they're bad, but because they don't fit into real life. You get excited, start strong, and then life gets busy and you abandon it.
That's why these retreats are
✅ Flexible so you can do them whenever and wherever it fits in your life
✅ Bite-sized so they aren't overwhelming. There is nothing to "keep up with" because each retreat is its own experience. You can never get behind with the retreat library! 😅
✅ Immediately rewarding so you feel connected right away!
Our general approach is also different from traditional counseling, which focuses on problems in the marriage.
We focus on love, joy, and connection in marriage first. 💕
Think about it this way: don't you think it would be easier to address issues and struggles as a couple after you have strengthened your connection and love and reminded yourselves that your marriage is bigger than your challenges?
That was exactly our experience years ago when we were at a low point. We were dealing with a lot: death of a relative, parent's divorce, a cross-country move, unemployment and money stress.
But just like we said earlier, these crises weren't the worst part—it was how we'd allowed our marriage to grow distant and cold.
Once we reconnected with each other, suddenly we could face those other problems as a team who had each other's backs.
So even if you've been disappointed before, we invite you to give the Cana Feast Retreat Library a try. It adapts to your busy life, and we always lead with love first.
We are so sorry to hear that. Our heart goes out to you, and know that we pray daily for everyone connected with our Cana Feast ministry, including you, . ❤️🙏
Our advice depends on what you mean by "a hard time." We always want what will be best for your marriage, so here is our honest advice if you can relate to these scenarios:
➡️ "I feel like I'm in survival mode"
Life can certainly be a lot, sometimes! We've been there. But there is a way out!
You need to focus on maintaining your connection in your marriage, ruthlessly prioritizing your schedule and your budget, and even ask for help where needed. Even 20 minutes together once a week can make a huge difference.
The Cana Feast Retreat Library would be a great investment in your marriage right now. In fact, the library includes a retreat on getting out of survival mode! (Might we recommend you start with that one?)
➡️ "Our marriage has been on the back burner for years. Now we don't know how to relate to each other."
You need to rediscover the love, joy and commitment that brought you together in the first place and build on that.
While the Retreat Library can be a good starting point, our systematic Abundant course would actually be a better fit. It takes couples through a step-by-step approach to building (or rebuilding) their marriage, and also has opportunities for personalized support from us.
➡️ "We are trying to heal from serious betrayal (like an affair) or are dealing with significant psychological issues (like past abuse or active addiction)"
We are so sorry that your are bearing these crosses. We're praying for you!
While our programs might be a helpful supplemental support, you need and deserve specialized care for these situations. Here are some resources and ideas:
Retrouvaille (https://helpourmarriage.org/) is a Catholic program centered around an in-person retreat with months of follow up. It is an excellent choice for couples seeking healing from significant rupture.
Hope's Garden (https://hopesgarden.com/) provides support for those suffering from betrayal trauma.
Professional counseling with a therapist trained in trauma, addiction, or whatever issue you are struggling with.
No matter what your specific situation, here's what we want you to hear - and it's important!
If you're going through a difficult time, there is help and there are resources for you. The most important thing is taking that first step.
Think of it this way:
Retreat Library = Your marriage vitamin - Perfect for couples who want to stay connected and grow together through regular date nights. Pick any topic that speaks to you right now. No pressure, no timeline.
Abundant = Your marriage intensive - For couples who need a complete reset or want to build new foundations together. It's our step-by-step program with live coaching and community support.
If you're looking to nurture what's already good, choose the Retreat Library. If you need to rebuild, go much deeper, or want our personal guidance, choose Abundant.
Still not sure? Start with the Retreat Library—you can always upgrade later!
We have worked with MANY husbands, wives, and couples who are not Catholic, and we love you!
While we and all of our programs are completely Catholic and we don't hide or "water down" what the Catholic Church teaches, non-Catholics we work with tell us that they feel very comfortable with us.
We are not here to judge your beliefs, but simply to explain the Catholic ones.
Think of it this way: Imagine you're at wedding in a tradition that you aren't familiar with (maybe a traditional Chinese or Indian wedding). You might recognize some things, like a bride and a groom and an exchange of vows. But there would likely be all manner of things that are unfamiliar to you. Imagine the friend that invited you sitting at your side and explaining the meaning behind all of those rituals and symbols. Understanding the meaning could help you appreciate them at a deeper level.
The Catholic understanding of marriage can be unfamiliar to many people. If you or your spouse isn't Catholic, the Retreat Library can be your guide—not to shame or convert, but to help you appreciate the faith of your spouse and also to see how those connect with contemporary research and practical skills for successful relationships.
We would be honored to be your guide.
Whether you're both Catholic, or are mixed faith, every marriage deserves the gift of deep connection.
🎉 🎉 Congratulations! 🎉 🎉
We are so happy for you! We have worked with hundreds of engaged couples to prepare them for the sacrament of marriage. The fact that you are even considering Cana Feast while you are still engaged is a sign that you take your future marriage seriously and will work to make it strong and faithful!
You will find that our virtual retreats are very beneficial in your time of preparation for your marriage. It will help you build healthy habits that will serve your marriage well for years.
Remember to check with your local parish or diocese to make sure that you fulfill the marriage preparation requirements set forth by them, as they do vary from place to place.
In the second chapter of the Gospel of John, we read about the wedding at Cana.
While attending and celebrating at the wedding, Jesus' mother, Mary, noticed that the feast had run out of wine. At her urging, Jesus performed his first public miracle and changed approximately 300 gallons of water into the wine!
Has your marriage run out of wine?
We founded our Cana Feast ministry on a few firm beliefs:
That marriage gets better with age! ("You have saved the best for last!")
That God's grace in marriage is extravagantly abundant ("9 jars each holding 30-40 gallons!")
That our Blessed Mother's intercession is powerful and real ("they have no more wine")
We find so much hope, consolation, and joy in reading the story of the wedding at Cana, that we named our ministry Cana Feast. It's a reminder that when Jesus and his mother Mary are present, our marriage should be as joyful and abundant as the feast at that wedding at Cana.
That time we hit a low point in our marriage,
found God in a big way,
and tried to share what we learned with our parish,
(and it didn't go well!)
About 10 years into our own marriage, we hit a low point.
We were:
💲 Stressed about money😧
⚡ Dealing with divorce and a death in our extended family
❌ Struggling to find stability after moving across the country with young kids
Our marriage was cold and distant. Except when we flared up in a fight!
Sarah signed us up for a marriage retreat at a neighboring parish, and it was AMAZING!
Our marriage was transformed by the faithful, practical skills we learned. ❤️ 🥰 ❤️
We felt a deep desire to share what we learned with our home parish.
So we rolled up our sleeves to bring that same retreat to our parish!
We scheduled the parish hall.
We lined up other couples to help us.
We got food andwe even lined up the coffee pots to make sure everyone could pay attention during the morning sessions!☕☕
Then we announced it to the parish and invited couples to the retreat.
That's when we heard a lot of this:
"I'd love to, but...."
... my husband works that weekend.
... my daughter has a tournament then.
... we can't get child care.
The couples who needed it the most
were the ones who were
least able to attend!
We thought, there's got to be a better way!
Instead of a weekend-long, in-person retreat, we offered monthly online, on-demand, mini retreats! Each mini retreat is like one session of an in-person retreat.
With our monthly retreat membership, couples no longer needed child care, a free weekend, or a nearby retreat house. We connected with Catholics from across the country and around the world!
After nearly 4 years, we closed the monthly membership, and we put everything we made during that time into the Cana Feast Retreat Library.
You can access EVERYTHING we made over those four years for a fraction of the price in the Cana Feast Retreat Library!