<p Merritt Island, United States (IBwire.com - August 05, 2015)  

Houston, TX - The Worldwide Marriage Encounter (WWME) community of Canada and the United States today announced the selection of a new leadership couple and priest for the North American Secretariat. They are Gene & Maggie Tokraks of Gilbert, Arizona and Bishop Bill Skylstad of Spokane, Washington.

The North American Secretariat oversees the Worldwide Marriage Encounter in the United States and Canada.  Together these countries, and their territories, are  interdependent in providing services to those who attend the Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend as well as other marriage enrichment programs sponsored by WWME.  A form of communication based on writing and sharing feelings is central to this experience. Couples learn how to connect at a deeper level and how to keep love growing over the years.

For Gene and Maggie and Bishop Skylstad, the Weekend is not a moment in time - it is the first step in a journey, a step that can help to heal the brokenness in today's society one couple at a time.

Gene & Maggie experienced their original weekend in 1994 in Phoenix, AZ.  They have been involved with WWME in various leadership roles for the past 21 years, including most recently overseeing WWME in Arizona, Southern California, Southern Nevada and Utah.  Bishop Bill attended his original weekend in 1974. He has been an ordained priest for 55 years and a bishop for 38 years.  He has also served as the president of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops. 

"We want to improve communications across all levels of our movement and with the Universal Church" said Gene & Maggie and Bishop Skylstad.  They added that it is important "to continue to establish cross-cultural personal relationships among the communities in Canada and the United States. These relationships will help us to continue to be open to one another as we move forward together."

Worldwide Marriage Encounter has been offering weekend experiences for over 47 years 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 95 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.  WWME also supports priests in fulfilling their role within the Sacrament of Holy Orders.  It offers tools for building and maintaining strong, Christian marriages and relationships in today’s world.  To learn more about the Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekends online, go to wwme.org , or you can contact the WWME Office at (909) 332-7309.

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For further information contact:
Dick & Diane Baumbach at 321-544-3440 or dickanddiane66@bellsouth.net