Dave and Antonia Martin, a couple who have been married for over five decades, are preparing to retire from their roles as presenters at Catholic Engaged Encounter (CEE) weekends. Their journey with CEE began after they experienced a transformative shift in their marriage upon embracing their Catholic faith more fully.

Initially, the Martins were "C&Es," attending Mass only on Christmas and Easter. However, they soon realized that integrating God into their marriage brought new vibrancy to their lives. This realization inspired them to help other couples place God at the center of their relationships.

"They have definitely presented longer than any other team in the Diocese of Wichita," said Mary Kay Rott, a fellow CEE presenter and local coordinator alongside her husband Chris. Dave and Antonia also served as diocesan coordinators and spent four years on the national board for CEE.

The Martins' involvement with CEE has been extensive since 1980 when they first accepted the challenge to present nine weekends in one year. Dave noted the rewarding experience of hearing engaged couples share how the weekend deepened their love for each other and for God.

The couple's origin story dates back to March 1966 when Dave, then a culinary school student, met Antonia during lunch deliveries. They quickly began dating and married later that year after both secured jobs in Salina, Kansas.

Their spiritual journey took a significant turn in 1976 following a Catholic Marriage Encounter weekend. The experience led them to seek forgiveness for past years without regular Mass attendance and commit to raising their children within the church community.

As presenters, Dave and Antonia found joy in witnessing young couples undergo transformations similar to their own. The retreats encourage discussions on important topics such as beliefs and experiences that can strengthen or challenge relationships before marriage.

Antonia remarked on encounters with past attendees who decided not to marry after realizing fundamental differences during the retreat. "That is not a failure," she said, emphasizing the importance of discovering such issues early on.

The Martins' dedication has forged strong bonds with fellow presenters like Mike Wescott from the Catholic Diocese of Wichita and Becky Knapp from its Office of Marriage & Family Life. These connections reflect shared commitments to faith and family values.

After presenting one final CEE retreat this month, Dave and Antonia plan to step back from some demanding aspects of the weekends but remain involved with CEE in other capacities. They note changes over time among attendees' demographics but affirm that inviting God into one's life remains central to these retreats' impact.

"Seeing that light bulb go on," David said about witnessing participants' realizations during retreats. "That's our favorite thing."