


Online vs. In Person Pre-Cana?
Marriage PreparationYou have decided to get married in the Catholic Church — now what? You might have heard by now that you need to go through an approved marriage preparation program, otherwise known as "Pre-Cana." The next step is for you to determine whether…

Who Instituted the Sacrament of Marriage and Where is it Marriage in the Bible?
Helpful Information, Marriage Preparation, Married LifeHave you ever wondered who instituted the Sacrament of Marriage in the Catholic Church? Have you asked yourself where is Marriage in the Bible?
This might be a question that is important to you and your fiance, especially now that you are…

Engagement in These Wild Times
Marriage PreparationGod is Bigger than a Pandemic
By now, we probably do not want to hear anything else about COVID-19 and its effects on our lives. The whole world has changed because of this pandemic. There are many adaptations, changes, and new ways of doing…

Why Is It Important for Catholics to get Married?
Marriage PreparationWhen we ask couples who are preparing for marriage, “Why do you want to get married in the Catholic Church?” sometimes the answers include…. “It is a family tradition”, or … “it is the right thing to do”, or “our family expects…

Pre-Cana and Zoom
Helpful Information, News“Is this working?”
“Can you all hear me?”
“Hello? Can you all hear me?”
That’s pretty much how every Zoom call starts out.
These days, it seems like everything is a Zoom call — including Pre-Cana.
However, is using…

Are We Flourishing As A Couple?
Relationship TipsAs we look around us, we see signs of new life everywhere. Spring is that time of the year when we see growth and flourishing in nature as the cycle of life continues to develop.
In the same way, God invites us to experience this same growth…

What Happened When We Opted for Online Pre-Cana
Helpful Information, Marriage PreparationAside from our wedding day, New Year’s Eve in 2018 was the best day of my life. Jake, my best friend and boyfriend of five years, proposed. We were elated, ringing in the new year bearing the excitement of becoming husband and wife. But after…

Holy Week, Easter, and the Reality of Marriage
Helpful Information, Married Life, News, Relationship TipsWhen we think about this time in the Liturgical Calendar, Holy Week and Easter, we usually associate it with church services, long liturgies and rituals. We think of all this as something that happens ‘in church’ but we don’t see much…

Lent in Our Lives
Helpful Information, Marriage Preparation, Married LifeLent is a time of preparation for the resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ. The Church has established this time as a period of prayer, fasting and almsgiving so we can be spiritually ready to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord.

Leverage Online Marriage Prep During Coronavirus and Canceled Pre-Cana Events
NewsEnsure that couples preparing for an upcoming wedding can still complete an approved, comprehensive Pre-Cana program even if their in-person class was canceled.

Leverage Online Marriage Prep Courses During Coronavirus Outbreak
NewsIn the midst of the Coronavirus outbreak, ministry leaders are eager to understand, use, and promote our popular online, on-demand marriage preparation courses as a trusted alternative to gathered/group events. Many dioceses and parishes are…

National Marriage Week 2020
NewsEvery year from February 7th to the 14th we celebrate “National Marriage Week.” What is National Marriage Week? It is a week dedicated to celebrate and support marriages in the United States and also in other countries around the world.
“National…

New Marriages, The Holidays, and The Extended Family
Married Life, Relationship TipsThe holidays represent a great challenge to marriages and family life. We all enjoy getting together with family and friends and spending time with them. But what happens when the extended family on both sides expect you to spend Christmas or…

Advent and Marriage Preparation
Helpful Information, NewsThe name Advent (from the Latin word Adventus, which signifies a coming) is applied to the time of year during which the Church requires the faithful to prepare for the celebration of the feast of Christmas — the anniversary of the birth of…

Love is Thankful
NewsHow often do we remember to give thanks for the acts of love and kindness we constantly receive? How many times do we take for granted the love that surrounds us? The celebration of Thanksgiving comes into our lives once a year as a reminder…

Can you be married by a priest outside a Catholic church?
Helpful Information, Marriage PreparationThere are many beautiful places where a couple may want to celebrate their wedding. Some of these places may even have a special meaning to that couple. Maybe that’s the place where they met, or maybe that’s the place where they dreamed…

A Fruitful Orientation at the USCCB
NewsOn October 8th through the 10th several new Diocesan Directors of Family Life gathered at the Washington Retreat House in Washington, DC for an orientation that was put together by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and its Secretariat…

What’s the Point of Doing Pre-Cana?
Helpful Information, Marriage PreparationMarriage preparation? What is that? What’s the point of doing Pre-Cana?
“My fiance and I have decided to get married in the Catholic Church. Why are we being asked to take classes?”
These are all real and legitimate questions that…

What do you do at Pre-Cana?
Helpful Information, Marriage PreparationYou are getting married in the Catholic Church. Congratulations!
Now that the big decision is made and you have decided to begin this process, you may have heard about “Pre-Cana” and you may be wondering what it is and how will it benefit…

Who is the Real Minister of the Sacrament of Marriage?
Helpful Information, Married LifeAn important aspect about preparing for marriage in the Catholic Church is finding and selecting the priest who will preside over the celebration.
Couples usually find the church first and, therefore, the priest who is at that particular…

NACFLM Conference 2019
NewsA recap of our experience attending the 2019 NACFLM Conference where we were able to reconnect with peers, discover new materials, and make new connections.

3 Tips To Help Your Marriage Preparation Program
Marriage Preparation“There are a number of legitimate ways to structure programmes of marriage preparation, and each local Church will discern how best to provide a suitable formation without distancing young people from the sacrament.” (Amoris Laetitia #207)
As…

Summer Growing, Summer Loving — Marriage Enrichment
Married Life, Relationship TipsJune is the beginning of summer in the United States. It is also when most couples and families take time to rest and re-energize. We take trips to visit the beach, the lake, parks, etc. In general, it is a season for rest and relaxation; a…

The Marriage Group Welcomes Claudio Mora to its Team
NewsPsalm 32:8 “I will instruct you and show you the way you should walk, give you counsel with my eye upon you.”
There has never been a doubt in my mind that God has been guiding my steps throughout my life. His presence has been so clear…

10 Years of The Marriage Group
Newshttps://vimeo.com/331461731
In 2009, together with two friends that became business partners, I set out to bring a comprehensive marriage preparation experience online, where today's couples are most comfortable. Although we were confident…

What We Learned About Our Couples in 2018
Helpful Information, Marriage Preparation, NewsToday's Catholic couples are intentional about the marriage preparation experience, but they're busier than ever, so they desire flexibility.
In 2018 alone, over 5,000 couples from around the world enjoyed our online marriage preparation experience! Having served more engaged Catholic couples than any other provider, we have learned a great deal about the couples themselves, how they found us, and their experience from start to finish.

4 Affordable Dates That Won’t Break The Bank
Married Life, Relationship TipsWhen it comes to any date, it’s pretty safe to say that we all like to be impressed by the other, and we like to be impressive as well. Truthfully though, don’t most of us simply appreciate a romantic effort most times, leaving the pricey…

Wedding Dates to Avoid and Dates to Consider
Marriage PreparationFirst Things First: Choosing Your Wedding Day
Be honest, you have most likely had the "when and where" picked out for your big day for about as long as you can remember. Am I right? Yes, of course, and so did I! We’ll save the "where" for…

Can we get married during Lent in the Catholic Church?
Helpful Information, Marriage PreparationFirst of all, congratulations on your engagement and soon coming wedding! What a very exciting, sacramental, and beautiful event in your life. Standing before God and man reciting your vows to your beloved is one of the most profound moments…

What do Ash Wednesday and Lent mean?
Helpful Information'Tis the season...Ash Wednesday and the Lenten season are upon us! No matter what your religious affiliations or beliefs are, have you ever wondered or needed a fresh description of what it all means and its purpose? If your answer is, "yes",…

“That they Might Be One”: Ecumenical Marriages
Marriage Preparation, Married Life, Relationship TipsWhen a Catholic and a non-Catholic marry one another, obvious differences in doctrine, worship, or personal piety inevitably lead to tension. So how can an ecumenical marriage thrive?
You were drawn to this person in particular, not their religion…

Everyone Needs A Cheerleader!
Relationship TipsEveryone needs a cheerleader.
Let us say that again: everyone needs a cheerleader.
We can’t deny that there is an abundance of negative talk and images out there today. Although there may be much truth in it all, we often miss that there…

New Money Matters Segment
NewsThe Marriage Group is excited to announce a brand new Money Matters segment to its popular online marriage prep class, Living Our Faith in Love™!
Introducing Michelle Shepley, Vice President and Senior Mortgage Sales Manager of a regional…

The Newlywed’s Guide To Talking About Investments
Married Life, Relationship TipsMoney is one of the most common causes of friction during the first year of marriage. When you first enter into a union it is important to discuss money matters, but you might be wondering: what kind of personal finances should I bring up?
Your…

Marriage Prep During the Christmas Season
NewsMerry Christmas to our parish and diocesan partners all around the country! We just wanted to send out a quick reminder about one of the challenges and blessings of marriage prep during the Christmas/Advent season.
We serve thousands of couples…

Staying out of the Deep End: Tips for Engagement Happiness
Marriage Preparation, Relationship TipsWhen you take the ultimate commitment plunge – getting engaged — there are an increasing number of deep waterways you may have to navigate together. To name a few, there’s adjusting to your new relationship status, making decisions together,…

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly – The Pros and Cons of Getting Married Abroad
Marriage PreparationWith 21% of Americans getting married abroad in 2015, the destination wedding is becoming more attractive.
This is in the face of the increasing cost of domestic weddings. Apart from the financial benefits, couples may also envisage the beautiful…

Free eBook: Meeting Today’s Churchgoers Online
Helpful Information, NewsWe are offering a free eBook: Meeting Today's Churchgoers Online.
This ebook discusses how to effectively communicate with your parishioners and attendees outside of the Church.
Based on our previous blog post, you will learn to use Social…

A Brief History of Marriage: 1960s-Present
Married LifeMarriage has a long history, originating before written records, possibly during the Stone Age. However, as cultural norms shift, so too has the definition and nature of marriage. It wasn't until the fall of the Romans that the Catholic Church…

How to Limit Your Wedding Guest List Without Hurting Peoples’ Feelings
Marriage PreparationWeddings are such wonderful times, especially for the bride and groom, who are celebrating their decision to become one. But, planning a wedding is not always fun, and there is quite a bit of bureaucracy behind preparing for such a major event.…

One Marriage, One Income.
Married Life, Relationship Tips'For richer, for poorer'.... it's right there in the traditional marriage vows, but how many of us consider the consequences of actually living it out in the real world? The sad statistic is that up to 50% of marriages end in divorce, with finances…

Adjusting Expectations in the First Weeks and Months of Marriage
Marriage Preparation, Married Life, Relationship TipsThe newlywed period is an exciting time. Not only are you still coming down from the buzz of your wedding and all its associated events, you are also getting to know your partner as husband and wife. While this time can be blissful, it can also…

Staying Committed in the Social Media Age
Relationship TipsSocial media is a wonderful tool to use for connecting with friends, family, and loved ones, who may not otherwise be able to connect. Along with that freedom comes a good deal of self-discipline to be able to use appropriately and responsibly,…

Demo the Course in 5 Minutes!
NewsGreetings! Gordon Whitney here, one of the producers for The Marriage Group, and I wanted to invite you to demo our popular online marriage prep course, Living Our Faith in Love.
With this 5 minute walkthrough, you as Clergy will be able…

Best Wedding Planning Apps
Marriage PreparationPlanning your wedding is such a joyous time, but it can be a stressful one. Especially when you truly just want everything to be perfect. Not only will you be thinking about all of your guests (what they will do, what they will eat and how they…

Church Outside of Church: Truly Meeting Today’s Churchgoers Where They Are.
Helpful InformationMeeting today's churchgoers where they are should never mean compromising your message in order to be "hip" and "cool" (oh, how cringeworthy those buzz words are...).
That being said, we cannot deny that times are changing, especially when…

An Introduction to and Benefits of Online Learning
Helpful InformationToday, more and more people are embracing the benefits of e-learning. “E-learning” or “online learning” refers to any education that takes place via electronic media. This is most commonly done through the internet. E-learning is appealing…

On-Screen Captioning Enhances Course Experiences
News
The Marriage Group has enhanced its popular online Catholic marriage prep class, Living Our Faith in Love, and NFP Life: An Introduction to Natural Family Planning, with the addition of on-screen captioning in both English and Spanish.
Just…

What is Natural Family Planning (NFP)?
Natural Family PlanningNatural Family Planning (NFP) is a method of planning your family in a natural way that respects the Catholic Church and allows you to manage your fertility.
NFP allows you the freedom to achieve, postpone or avoid pregnancy.
The unique…

Marriage Prep Courses For Modern Couples
Marriage PreparationMeeting Catholic Church Requirements
Marriage prep should always be up-to-date with the changing of times.
Young couples today desire accessible, convenient, uplifting, and modern ways of doing things. When planning to marry in the Catholic…

How do you get married in the Catholic Church?
Marriage PreparationFinding a partner to share the rest of your life with is a blessing. If you’ve recently gotten engaged and are planning to be married in the Catholic Church, there are a few steps to do so. Catholics recognize marriage as a Sacrament, so taking…

What is Pre-Cana in the Catholic Church?
Marriage Preparationhttps://vimeo.com/505040219
Congratulations! You just got engaged and you are excited to begin planning your wedding! You’ve talked with your priest or deacon and they told you that you need to take a marriage prep, or Pre-Cana class, to…

Announcing NFP Life: An introduction to Natural Family Planning
Natural Family Planning, NewsAnnouncing NFP Life
Announcing NFP Life: an introduction to natural family planning!
The Marriage Group has been spreading the good news of natural family planning (NFP) through its Learn NFP Online brand since its launch in 2012.
Since…
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