Sample Talk (adapt to your own experience)
Did you ever want to just stop the world and get off for a little while?  I'm here to tell you that on [date] you can do exactly that.  Over 100 men are going to a beautiful site in West Hartford to leave the world behind and recharge their spiritual batteries.  This special site is Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center.  When you really want to leave your troubles behind or more likely put them in a manageable perspective, this weekend is the best investment you can make in yourself. Twenty-one years ago, I sat out there with you and heard the same invitation you are hearing now.  Having never been on a retreat, I couldn't envision myself in what I thought would be a Charismatic prayer group for an entire weekend.  I finally concluded that I couldn't judge it if I didn't try it.  I thought to myself, I could survive anything once. Off I went to fulfill my once in a lifetime retreat.  How wrong I was.  I now look forward to my [22nd] retreat.  Our parish, [St. Ann's], typically sends [60 to 70] men.   There are many reasons to go on retreat, not the least of which are rest and a time out from the hustle and bustle of every day life. However, the fundamental reason for my attendance is "Sharing my faith and praying with other men."  Gentlemen, sharing and praying is not just for women.  We all carry many burdens in our lives and I have found no better place to relieve myself of these burdens than at Holy Family.  The staff there presents a very contemporary weekend of talks and open discussion workshops that challenge your thinking on how you relate to God as well as all others in your life.  There are very moving prayer services and Masses that fill you with the Holy Spirit.  You're also given plenty of free time.   Now I can't promise that all your problems will disappear; however, I do know that you will leave Holy Family feeling a greater sense of calm and serenity than you've known in a long time.   There is nothing more spiritual than 15 or 5 or even 2 men having personal and at times moving discussions about what is important to them in their spiritual and secular lives.  If you're not ready to share, there is much to be taken away by just listening.   If you believe you don't have time to attend, then you need this retreat more than ever.  I also ask the women of the parish to encourage your husbands and boyfriends to attend.  Gentlemen, it's good for you, it's good for your family and it's good for your parish.   If you have never attended, try it one time.  Then make up your mind.  If you've gone in the past but haven't been in a while, come back and be recharged.  As I said the date for the retreat is [date].  After Mass I'll be at the coffee service to discuss the retreat and to give you more information.  Please call the names in your parish bulletin for more information or for a registration form.

Sample Talk 2 (adapt to your own experience)
I'd like to speak to all of the wives, mothers, sweethearts, as well as to the men of the parish, to offer the men a chance to make a retreat at Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center in West Hartford, the weekend of [date]. This year's theme is [].   My first retreat was [six] years ago.  The pressures of the job were getting to me.  I had a project where my boss kept promising upper management bigger and better things, my frustration level was rising, and my fuse was growing short.  I was also traveling abroad for long periods at a time. I had just returned home from a three-week trip to Europe.  I greeted my wife, Barbara, with a big hug and a kiss.  I had missed her and told her I was glad to be home.  Even though I had been gone for so long, later that day she handed me a newspaper story with information about a retreat the following weekend.  That brought back memories of retreats from my Catholic High School days, they were not fun.  I told Barbara I would think about it. I guess I needed something, because a few days later I called to find out about the retreat.  Our retreat started Friday evening with a buffet dinner.  Throughout the weekend there were discussion groups, prayer services, Mass, interesting talks, fellowship, and even a little free time.  Between each session there were breaks to visit with other retreatants or members of the retreat team.  All the talks and workshops were relevant to today's Catholic life.  I have never seen a group of 50 or so men getting together to pray and sing like this before.  The walls of the chapel reverberated.   I got in the car after Sunday's lunch and headed home.  About half way home I realized how different I felt, like a burden had been lifted from me. I felt both spiritually and physically up-lifted.  I now look forward to the retreat each year.  Last year since there were a couple of us from St. Francis we decided we would form our own group in an effort to get more men from our parish involved.  We had [6] men from our parish, this year I would like to increase that number.  I can't guarantee a retreat will have the same effect on you, but men, if you feel a need for renewal of body and soul, consider it.  And women, if you think your man would benefit, please encourage him.  In closing I'd like to thank my wife, Barbara, for the opportunity she offered to me that year and every year since.  If you have any questions, or would like to join us, you can call me any evening or weekend, at the numbers listed in the bulletin or on the poster on the bulletin board in the back of the church. Thank you for your time, and God Bless You.