Are you hungry for more intimacy
in your marriage?
Rediscover the hidden power of the Mass
to heal, nourish, and renew your sacrament of marriage.
Banquet of Love:
The Eucharist as weekly Marriage Enrichment
Experience Banquet of Love, the marriage enrichment program that turns your weekly worship at the Eucharist into a source of daily intimacy in your marriage.
What is
Banquet of Love?
Banquet of Love explores the rich intimacy that can be fostered in a marriage when you model your marriage on the Eucharist.
What is 'Banquet of Love'?
Banquet of love explores the rich intimacy that can be fostered in a marriage when you model your marriage after the rites of the Eucharist.
Watch the Intro Video
Your Sacrament of Marriage
is transformed by the Eucharist.
Most marriage enrichment programs focus only on communication and relationship tactics. While we definitely include these in our program, we don’t stop there! Because as Catholics, we know that human effort is only part of the story.
By centering marriage enrichment in the work of the Holy Spirit, Banquet of Love bridges the gap between the pews and your living room. We show you how the rhythm of the Mass--gathering, forgiveness, listening and responding, sacrifice, healing, and communion--is the precise blueprint for a thriving, joyful marriage.
As Featured On
Jim and Maureen's teachings have been featured on the following Catholic media outlets
Sacred Practices
Experience time-honored spiritual rituals that invite peace, clarity, and a deeper connection to the divine.
Personal Reflections
Guided exercises help you explore your faith journey, fostering deeper self-awareness and spiritual growth.
Community Sharing
Connect with others through meaningful conversations, building a supportive and faith-filled community.
Praise For Banquet of Love
Encouragement from Church Leaders
James and Maureen Otremba are a dynamic couple with over twenty-five years of experience preparing and teaching couples. As Catholics, the Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith. By recognizing the connections between your sacrament of marriage and the Most Holy Eucharist, your relationship will be transformed and your eyes opened to see the Holy Mass and your marriage in a whole new light!
— Most Reverend Bishop Oscar A. Solis, DD
Bishop of the Diocese of Salt Lake City
Using their gifts and personal journey, they skillfully and prayerfully tied the sacramentality of marriage to the Euchrist. Every married couple could benefit from this practical, skills-based material; no matter if you are newlyweds or married 45 plus years.
— Deacon Tom Lang, Director, Office of the Permanent Diaconate Archdiocese of Dubuque, IA
What the Otrembas offer in this incredible work is nothing less than a monumental paradigm shift for marriage enrichment experienced through the Divine Liturgy, every aspect of the Liturgy, and Jesus embraced in the Most Holy Eucharist. To accept their offer is to have one’s spiritual eyes open at every Mass, every marital encounter, and to be transformed into His beloved likeness..
— Jim and Joy Pinto,
Co-Hosts of EWTN’s
At Home with Jim and Joy
Why Choose Our Course?
Move Your Marriage From "Getting By" to "Thriving" With Banquet of Love.
The Program Includes:
Introductory Class: Join Jim and Maureen Otremba in this Introductory Session and discover how each and every Eucharist can truly transform your marriage!
Practical Eucharistic Theology: Discover how the Eucharist is steeped in the Jewish understanding of time and sacrificial love. Come and learn insights from the Gospel of John, Vatican II, and the Eucharist and apply them to your marriage today.
The Gathering Rite: Every Eucharist blends familiar elements of ritual with something new. So does each day of your marriage! Learn how the balance between what’s predictable and what’s possible shapes both the Mass and the relationship you and your spouse share.
The Penitential Act, Part One: The Passover from sin to salvation is central to every Eucharist. Just as our merciful Heavenly Father offers us enduring forgiveness, you can learn to create a “domestic penitential act” to practice repentance and forgiveness in your marriage.
The Penitential Act, Part Two: Come join Jim as he continues to outline essential elements of forgiveness and healing, empowering couples and families to create their own “domestic penitential act.”
The Liturgy of the Word, Part One: The story of redemption, which we celebrate at every Eucharist, comes alive during the Liturgy of the Word. In Part One of this class, Maureen explores the heritage we receive in the Holy Scriptures and how we come to understand ourselves as part of God’s ongoing story.
The Liturgy of the Word, Part Two: The story of redemption, which we celebrate at every Eucharist, comes alive during the Liturgy of the Word. In Part Two of this class, we explore the gospel story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus as an illustration of how Jesus shares Himself with us through the Scriptures.
The Preparation of the Gifts, Eucharistic Prayer, and the Lord’s Prayer: With this class, we move into the second part of the Mass: the Liturgy of the Eucharist. We explore themes of intimacy through our participation in the Offertory, the great Eucharistic Prayer, and the prayer Jesus gave us, the Our Father.
The Sign of Peace, Liturgical Flow, and the Foundational Intimacies: We continue our consideration of the Eucharistic Prayer by exploring the Sign of Peace and God’s desire for peace in our marriages. This peace shines forth in the liturgical flow of the Mass, and the flow of intimacy in our marriages.
Improving Foundational Intimacies: We conclude our three-part consideration of the Eucharistic Prayer by exploring specific strategies for strengthening the eight Foundational Intimacies: forms of sharing which lay the groundwork for rich and satisfying sexual intimacy in marriage.
The Communion Rite: In the Communion Rite, we receive the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ. This sacred exchange of persons at the heart of the Eucharist models for us as husband and wife how our deepest intimate sharing in sexual intimacy can and should inspire and elevate our sacrament of marriage with mutuality and joy.
The Concluding Rite: The Concluding Rite centers on gratitude and expectation: thanks for what the Eucharist has already given us, and anticipation of where God will lead us next. In this closing session, we consider how we as a married couple live out both thanksgiving and mission.
***All Matieral is Deeply Rooted in Catholic Theology and Psychology***
Faith Deepening
Strengthen your relationship together through learning to meet with each other the same way Christ meets with us.
Accessible to All
Suitable for couples at all stages of marriage with no advanced theological background required.
Mission-Oriented
Helps couples understand that their marriage has purpose both within and beyond themselves.
Get Started For Free
Experience the richness of Banquet of Love with the first lesson free.
Participant Testimonials
Join hundreds of couples who have found transformation from this curriculum.
“In only 7 hours, you have helped us a thousand times more than in four marriage counseling meetings we went to! I deeply thank you for giving us tools to strengthen and improve our marriage. I have prayed for help and I know that you are part of His answer.”
— Participant,
Married 5 Years
“Jim and Maureen are personable, knowledgeable, and passionate about the spiritual growth of couples living out the sacrament of marriage. Their presentation got us thinking and talking about the deep connections between the experience of the Mass and our marriage experience. The connections they made offered a rich reflection on the Eucharistic dynamics of married life and included practical information for couples.”
— Jay and Michelle Wonacott; Jay is Director of Marriage and Family Life Office,
Diocese of Boise
“Banquet of Love offers a beautiful journey through the Mass, viewed through the lens of the Sacrament of Marriage. Jim and Maureen are a joy to work with, and their passion for strengthening marriages shines through in the meaningful work they do for the Kingdom of God."
— Crystal Painter, Director of Marriage and Family Life Office,
Diocese of Salt Lake City
PRICING
Choose Your Plan
Banquet of love
First Lesson
FREE
Access to the Intro Lesson for Banquet of Love
Welcome Series - 5 Eucharistic Encouragements for your Catholic Marriage
A special offer via email
Banquet of Love
for Couples
$97/year
One Year Access to the 'Banquet of Love' Course
12 In-Depth Lessons
Reflection Questions
PDF Guides for Each Lesson
***One Time Purchase,
No Automatic Renewal***
Banquet of Love
for Parishes
$247/year
One Year Access to the 'Banquet of Love' Course for You To Review
A Coupon Code for Members of Your Parish to Purchase the Course ($50 off Regular Price)
A PDF Guide for Parishes
A special discount to have Jim and Maureen Conduct a Teaching at your Parish
***One Time Purchase,
No Automatic Renewal***
Meet Jim and Maureen
Jim and Maureen Otremba have been married since 1995 and are members of
St. Luke’s Parish in Clearwater, MN. Jim is a licensed therapist and owner
of The Center for Family Counseling in St. Cloud, where he has over 25 years’
experience working with married couples and individuals. Maureen has an
extensive background in teaching, writing, faith formation, and pastoral ministry.
Both hold advanced degrees in theology, and Jim is pursuing his doctorate in
psychology.
They are the primary authors of Fully Engaged: Growing Toward Lasting Fidelity,
a Catholic premarital inventory and marriage preparation program, which is used in over 80 dioceses and 1200 additional parishes.
Jim and Maureen have been frequent speakers for events, workshops, and
retreats and use high energy, humor, and their combined expertise in counseling
and education to move their audiences toward healing and joy. They have
appeared on EWTN, and Jim has been a regular guest on Relevant Radio’s
Morning Air show.
They are parents of seven children in heaven and three young adult children on
earth, and they know and live the joys and challenges of special-needs
parenting.
Get Started For Free
Have Questions?
Who is the Banquet of Love course for?
This course is designed for Catholic married couples at any stage of their journey—from newlyweds to those celebrating decades of marriage. Whether you are looking to deepen an already strong bond or seeking healing and renewal, these sessions provide a space to encounter Christ together.
What does the free trial include?
The free trial gives you full access to the first introductory course, where we will discuss:
- How the Holy Spirit put this curriculum on Jim and Maureen's hearts in 1993.
- How each Eucharist offers us eight powerful forms of intimacy - the "Foundational Intimacies."
- How these eight foundational intimacies offer a specific road map to transform our marriages.
Also included are:
- A printout of the PDF "Glossary" to come to a deeper understanding of the Eucharist.
The free trial also includes a subscription to our free 'Weekly Eucharistic Marriage Tip' - receive an email every Sunday on how to live out the power of the Eucharist in your life!
Is there any cost after the free trial?
After your trial, you can choose to purchase full access to the course for a one-time fee. Your one-time purchase of $97.00 includes a license to watch all the videos and use the PDFs for a full year. Note that we do not automatically renew your subscription, so you don’t have to worry about additional charges to your credit card.
How long does the full course take?
The core curriculum is designed as a 12 week journey through the entire Mass, making direct, practical connections with your marriage. Each video module is approximately 25 minutes and includes a printable PDF to help you follow along to integrate your knowledge. You can move through the materials at your own pace in the comfort of your home, or ideally, in a small group at your parish. The first time through you need to watch each module in order. Once you have completed the entire 12 modules you are free to review modules that you may want to re-watch.
Can I participate with my church group?
Absolutely! We provide a separate license for parishes who want to use this curriculum parish wide. We provide a "Small Group Leader Guide" PDF for those who wish to go through the course with other couples in their parish. It’s a wonderful way to build community and support within your church.
We have a very busy schedule; can we still do this?
Yes. Banquet of Love is designed for real life. The weekly sessions are around 25 minutes long and can be broken into smaller segments if needed.
What if my spouse is less spiritually "active" than I am?
You can still benefit from this course! Banquet of Love is invitational, not confrontational. The reflections are accessible and focus on the universal language of love and sacrifice, making it a comfortable entry point for everyone. Though optimally used by couples, individual spouses can also find helpful content for nourishment and growth.
Is this course a substitute for marriage counseling?
This is an enrichment program intended to strengthen and inspire your marriage. While it is deeply therapeutic in nature (Jim Otremba has been a licensed therapist in MN since 1997), it is not a replacement for professional clinical counseling if your marriage is in a state of crisis.
How is this different from other marriage retreats or programs?
Unlike general "communication" courses, our focus is specifically Sacramental. We help couples understand the structure of the Liturgy of the Eucharist; Repentance, Listening, Preparation, Sacrifice, and Communion; as the blueprint for how a husband and wife should love one another.
What materials will we need?
Aside from a printer for the PDF’s (we believe there’s great value in physically writing your responses and reflections on real paper!), all you need is an open mind, a Bible, a journal if you want, and a pen for the PDFs. We provide all the printable digital worksheets and videos.
What if I or my spouse is not Catholic? Can we still use this course?
Yes, absolutely! Your ecumenical marriage is a sign of unity in the Body of Christ, and both of you can gain understanding as well as practical tools for living out your Sacrament of Marriage by participating in Banquet of Love.
What if I have further questions or need more information?
We welcome your questions and are here to help! Feel free to contact us at [email protected] and we’ll get right back to you.
Taste and See. The First Lesson Is On Us.
Sign up now and start your path to spiritual marriage enrichment.
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