marriage preparation

Our Marriage Preparation program prepares couples for the sacrament of marriage.

Our Next Sessions

Our next Pre-Marriage Program will consist of three sessions. Each couple is asked to attend all three sessions.

First Session:          Tuesday, May 16, 2017    7:00—9:30pm
Second Session:    Thursday, May 18, 2017   7:00—9:30pm
Meet at the home of Greg and Linda Willard

Third Session:     Saturday, May 20, 2017   4:00 p.m.
Meet at St. Edna Church
Followed by participation in the 5:00pm Mass
(Families of the Engaged Couples are invited to the Mass)

The program cost is $100 per couple, payable to St. Edna Church.
Space is limited!
To register, please call Laura Kniskern at 847-398-3362 by March 1, 2017

Overview

As you begin planning your wedding with the staff at St. Edna Church, you will be invited to attend either Pre-Cana through the Archdiocese of Chicago or our Marriage Preparation Program. 

Archdiocese of Chicago Pre-Cana

Contact Family Ministries 312-534-8201

or www.familyministries.org

St. Edna Marriage Preparation

This program is comprised of two small group session in a welcoming home environment and a third session at St. Edna with a Mass.

Each of the two sessions run in the evening for about 2 hours. Sessions generally have about 5 to 10 couples and are facilitated by one or two married couples from St. Edna. Our sessions involve small group discussion as well as private time provided for individual couple discussions. We run the session twice a year, once in the Fall and again in early Spring. The session usually are on two weekdays and then a Saturday mass.

The facilitators share personal stories along with providing insightful activities, games, love language video, and inventory. Some of the topics we cover are communication and conflict, love languages, children and family. The third session culminates with an evening mass with an engagement ceremony for the couples.

The marriage prep program also includes FOCCUS (Facilitating Open Couple Communication Understanding Study). It is a tool to help couples identify strengths and challenges before marriage. FOCCUS will allow the couple to discuss where they stand in regard to topics important in marriage. 

Process of FOCCUS

The couple takes the inventory on-line and the results go to a facilitator couple from St. Edna. After the inventory is complete the couple will meet with a facilitator couple to discuss the results of the inventory. 

Benefits of Marriage Prep

• Warm home environment
• Friendly facilitators
• Develop friendships
• Small group size
• ​Private time for a couple

Topics Discussed

• Communication/conflict
• Children and marriage
• Differences in "Love Languages"
• Family backgrounds

Components

• Home environment
• Small group discussion
• Video on "Love Languages"
• Alone time for couples
• Newlywed game
• Enlightening activities
• Celebratory Mass for engaged couples (rings blessed)
   

To participate in St. Edna Marriage Preparation please fill out registration form from your Wedding Packet (given to you at the Parish Office).



Testimonials

"Pre-marriage was helpful for me to step back from our wedding preparation and think about our marriage instead."

"I learned what love language I speak and what my partner speaks. I learned how to speak his language. The video was great too."

"I liked the Pre Newlywed game. It was interesting to see how well we knew each other."

"We liked meeting and talking to other couples who were going through the same issues that we were."

"Very informal and relaxed. Very inviting environment."

"The session got us to think about issues we had not thought of before."

"Everything was perfect. Food was great! Discussions encouraged and the handouts were insightful."

"I liked how the facilitators made everyone feel at ease."

"I liked discussing things as a group and I really liked it that we had time to discuss on our own."

Archdiocese of Chicago Family Ministries

FOCCUS, Inc.

To learn more about Marriage Preparation, please contact the parish office at 847-398-3362.