Congratulations on your decision
to get married!
The vocation of marriage is a great adventure,
through which you will establish a new family,
grow in love with each other, and encounter
Christ.
Please be assured of our prayers for your
happiness. We ask God for his blessing upon you,
that you may truly be partners in life and love.
What steps do we
have to take?
Here is an outline of the steps you will
take in preparing for your marriage.
Step 1:
Print out and use this
Marriage Preparation Checklist.
Step 2: Start by meeting with the
Priest or Deacon who will be
witnessing your marriage.
(If you are getting
married out of town, you should also meet with a local Priest
or Deacon to
ensure that all requirements have been met.)
Click
here for more info.
Step 3: Attend a
Marriage Preparation Class or Retreat
(This is also referred to as a
"Pre-Cana Class".)
Register for your marriage preparation classes
A.S.A.P. (6 to 12 months before
your wedding).
Click here to
choose what kind of
class you want to attend.
Step 4: Follow-up
meetings with your Priest or Deacon.
After completing the
Marriage Preparation Class(es), you should have further
meetings with the priest or deacon to plan the wedding
liturgy and complete the“Pre-Marital Interview” (also called the "PMI")
to make sure that all the Canon Law
requirements for marriage have been
satisfied.
Step
5: We also strongly urge you to attend a class in Natural
Family Planning.
Click here for
more
information
or here to
sign up for a class.
Still have questions? Please
see our
Frequently Asked Questions page.
What
kind of classes or retreats are available?
1.
Marriage
Preparation Classes ("Pre-Cana")
These classes are
offered by this office and are held
at churches throughout the Archdiocese. The fee is $195 per
couple. *They should be completed at
least 6 months prior to your wedding date.
- Two
Days
— This program requires
attendance at two day-long classes on
Saturday OR Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Both parts must be taken, but you are allowed to take Part 2
before Part 1, and you may take them at different locations.
Part 1,
the Relationship Skills Workshop,
offers practical advice and assistance to
the engaged couple to help them build a
successful marriage. Topics covered include
self-awareness, communication, conflict
resolution, commitment, and decision-making.
Part 2,
entitled God’s Plan for a Joy-Filled
Marriage, is designed to help today’s
couples understand and embrace a Catholic
vision of married love. It seeks to
demonstrate, in a non-judgmental manner, the
“whys” behind the “whats” of Catholic
teaching. This workshop will help couples
see the beauty of God’s plan for marriage
and the joys of living it.
Click here to
register.
Inscripciones
en Espanol
-
Four
Evenings
— This program covers the same
topics as the Two Days (above), but takes place over four
shorter evenings. For example:
7:00 p.m. Registration and introductions
(or 7:30 p.m., depending on the
location)
7:15 presentation with Couple
Exercises
8:05 break
8:10 presentation with Couple
Exercises
-
Two-Session
— There is one Two-Session class
this year, at St. John's Church in Orange
county. Click
here for the schedule.
-
In-Home
— These classes are available in
Dutchess County only, and on
a limited basis. The sessions are limited to
one couple and meet four evenings. For
more information about this program only,
please call Edward and Valerie Towlsey,
(845) 896-7540.
-
Special Class for Couples in their 30’s
and 40’s — Designed specifically for older
couples. There is one class scheduled this
year, which will be held at Our Lady of the
Assumption Church in the Bronx. Click
here
for the schedule
2. Marriage Preparation
Retreats:
-
Engaged
Encounter Weekend
— Click
here
to go to their website for more info and
to register. The cost is $415 per couple.
-
Three to Get Married
weekend program
— Click
here
to go to their website for more info and
to register. The cost is
$275 per couple.
3.
Other types of classes:
These classes are not offered by our office
but do complete your Marriage Preparation class requirement.
-
Pre-Cana at Our
Saviour — A multi-evening
parish-based program at Our Saviour Church
in Manhattan. Please call (646)
341-0848, or email
mcfadden@mac.com for more information
or to register.
The cost is $295 per couple.
-
Sponsor Couple
Program in Dutchess County
— please call Edward & Valerie Towsley, at
(845) 896-7540, for more information.
Natural Family
Planning
We strongly urge you to attend a class on
Natural Family Planning in addition to your
Marriage Preparation classes. It is an effective way to plan our families in
keeping with God’s desires for happiness for us. See
here for
more information. Classes
should be started at least 6 months before
your wedding.
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Additional
Resources
There are many free resources online you may
want to consult as you prepare for married life
together. Here are some good ones (please
note that these sites are offered for your
information; they are not affiliated with the
Archdiocese of New York, and we are not
responsible for their content):
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 Marga Regina
Marriage Preparation
Coordinator
 marga.regina@archny.org
646.794.3182
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