Marriage preparation

Congratulations on your engagement! No doubt, your upcoming marriage is a cause of great joy and celebration amongst your family and friends. Your Catholic Church family joyfully celebrates with you too.

The period leading up to a marriage is a busy, exciting and sometimes stressful time. There will be much to organise, however, your wedding is the just the beginning! While it will be long remembered and cherished, your marriage—the daily reality of living out your promise to one another—will continue long after the last piece of cake is eaten.

Preparation for marriage involves a process of discernment. It should be an affirming experience, as you and your fiancé grow in your understanding of one another and your readiness to enter married life.

To assist couples celebrating their wedding in the Catholic Church, we offer various marriage preparation programs looking at the many different aspects of married life—both practical and spiritual. These programs draw upon the lived experience and wisdom of married couples and generally cover topics such as communication, finances, family of origin and the Sacrament of Marriage. It is our hope that by attending a marriage preparation program, you will grow in love and trust and say ‘I do’ with even more confidence on your wedding day.

Below are the marriage preparation programs provided by the Catholic Church in Melbourne. Before booking, we suggest discussing these options with the priest helping you prepare.

Marriage preparation programs:

• Smart Loving is a flexible online program for engaged couples.
• FOCCUS is an inventory is done with the couple and a facilitator.
• Partnerships is a one-day seminar offered through CatholicCare.
• Transformed in Love is a two-day seminar offered at St Mary’s Star of the Sea Parish, West Melbourne. For more information, contact the parish via info@stmaryswestmelbourne.org or (03) 9328 3474.