We are pleased to share this story of the work of a Jesuit in Europe, in the Province of Slovenia. Upon receiving it, we felt it offered a compelling reflection of certain shared dimensions of the Society of Jesus across European provinces. It highlights how vitality and apostolic zeal continue to animate the Society in Europe—even as it faces the challenges of an aging membership.

 At the St Ignatius Retreat House in Slovenia, the annual spiritual retreat for older married couples took place, traditionally led by Fr Vital Vider SJ. Fr Vital is an exceptionally active and resilient Jesuit who continues to lead monthly retreats for married couples to this day. He is also the founder of the Najina pot (Our Path), groups for married couples. Najina pot has already passed its 50th anniversary — it was founded in 1972 — and now extends across all of Slovenia.

Retreat for older married couples, 16–19 April 2026

With the simple title “Retreat for older married couples”, Fr Vital continues to touch many people’s hearts and draw them to his annual retreats at the St Ignatius Retreat House. His work is known among such a wide circle of people that the programme needs no special description, and his retreats require no promotion at all.

The reflection of joy can be seen in the photo of the retreat participants and in all the work of Fr Vital Vider SJ.

58 Years Ago - The First Retreat for Married Couples

On the occasion of the 50^th anniversary of the Najina pot married couples’ groups, Fr Vital wrote: It was in 1972… A group of young married couples responded to an invitation to a retreat for married couples. At that time, such retreats were something entirely new, since until then retreats had been held separately for husbands and for wives. All this took place only seven years after the conclusion of the Second Vatican Council, which had said more — and in such a new way — about marriage and the family than had been said in all the centuries before. The content of the conciliar text on marriage can be summed up in the prophetic words of St John Paul II in his apostolic exhortation on the family: “The future of humanity and of the Church passes through the family” (DR 75). We could not ignore this in Slovenia either, where communism regularly attacked the Church and hindered believers in the practice of their faith. Christian marriage was under particular pressure. Nor was there much special pastoral care for married couples within the Church itself, as it struggled to preserve the very foundations of the faith. We could not overlook this … After the retreat had ended, the young couples said in unison: “Why should we not meet similarly every month?”

About Najina Pot (Our Path)

The central mission of the Najina pot married couples’ groups is to help couples live a good married and family life. Couples from one group meet every month, while all the groups come together once a year for a joint gathering at St Joseph’s Church in Ljubljana. In 1975, in addition to retreats and married couples’ groups, Fr Vital Vider SJ, began offering a Marriage Preparation Course to help engaged couples prepare for marriage. Many years of experience show that couples who attend retreats regularly each year are better able to nurture their marriage than those who stop attending them. One evening a month and one weekend a year is a small investment in lifelong happiness.

Older married couples accompany younger couples on their path of growth in marriage and family life.

Couples talk openly with one another about everything. They are deeply grateful to have a circle of people who support and help one another persevere in this challenging world — striving to be good people, good Christians, and good spouses.

In Fr Vider’s words on the anniversary, these married couples are today “a fortress of humanity, Slovenian nation, and the Church of Christ” — a Church that is under attack, yet must endure.

Within Najina pot, there were no divorces while a couple was still actively involved in a married couples’ group; separations occurred only after a couple had already left the group. According to the members’ testimony, there were four divorces over the course of fifty years.

 “… with deep gratitude for the hundredfold fruit that married couples and families have received from the founder’s vision, first conceived fifty years ago.”

About Fr. Vital Vider SJ

Fr Vital was born in Ljubljana, the youngest of seven children. After leaving grammar school in Ljubljana before completing it, he joined the Jesuits in 1946. He completed his secondary education in Zagreb, where he also studied philosophy and theology. After his tertianship in Dubrovnik, he spent three years with his fellow Jesuits taking part in parish missions. In 1963, he took responsibility for part of the Parish of St Mary Magdalene in Maribor and gradually established the new Parish of Pobrežje. After 11 years of parish ministry, he devoted himself entirely to married couple groups and students.