How to do Pre-Cana in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia

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How to do Pre-Cana in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia

Congratulations on your engagement! Now it’s time to prepare for marriage in the Catholic Church. Preparing for the Sacrament of Matrimony can be done in several ways in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

What do we do first?

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia requires a six-step process. The first step is to let your parish priest know that you are engaged to be married. The Archdiocese of Philadelphia recommends doing this at least six months in advance of your intended wedding date. If you are not a registered member of a Catholic parish within the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, now is the time to register.

What do we do after we meet with the priest?

The next step is to take a Pre-Cana course. The Archdiocese of Philadelphia requires this course to be completed six months prior to the wedding. Pre-Cana is the name for Catholic marriage preparation, referring to the wedding at Cana, where Jesus performed a miracle, turning water into wine.

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia allows self-paced online programs, such as the one offered by The Marriage Group, and others, or any in-person program offered through a Catholic parish, retreat center, or university within, or outside of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, as long as the programs fully and thoroughly cover all the core theological, spiritual, practical, and intimate aspects of marriage, in conformity to Catholic doctrine.

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia Office for Life and Family can be reached at 215-587-0500 for any questions about valid Pre-Cana options.

In-person Pre-Cana Options

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia offers several in-person all-day marriage preparation classes at various locations throughout the area. They can be found here.

Any other in-person Pre-Cana classes offered outside of the Archdiocese should be cleared with the Archdiocese of Philadelphia Office for Life and Family.

Fully Online Pre-Cana

Another option is an online course, such as the one offered by The Marriage Group. It consists of videos, workbooks, and guides to get your marriage off to a beautiful start. The course costs $225 and has a flexible schedule. The complete course takes about eight hours to complete, but it can be completed at your own pace. The course is also customized, so it meets the unique needs of couples and their specific life circumstances.

The Marriage Group also has a fully online self-paced program in Spanish.

What else do we need to do?

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia requires that a Marriage Preparation Inventory be completed three to six months before the wedding. This Inventory will assess the couple’s habits, expectations, and values and shed light on any areas where more work is needed to start the marriage off right.

The next step is to take a Natural Family Planning class. Natural Family Planning (NFP) is the method of delaying or achieving pregnancy using the body’s natural signs of fertility. NFP classes are offered through the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. There are also online courses such as The Marriage Group’s Natural Family Planning Course, which can be found here.

Engaged couples are asked to participate in the Sacrament of Reconciliation as needed prior to the wedding.

The final step is to meet with the parish priest or deacon who will be witnessing your marriage to make sure everything is in order.

What are the requirements for a Catholic wedding?

The Catholic Church has several requirements for sacramental marriage.

One of the spouses must be a baptized Catholic.
The wedding must be celebrated in a Catholic Church and in the presence of a Catholic priest, deacon, or bishop and two other witnesses.
The spouses must be free to be married with no prior valid marriages.
Both spouses must be psychologically mature and capable of consenting to marriage.
Both spouses must understand that Catholic marriage is exclusive, permanent, and open to having children.

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia has a great resource with answers to frequently asked questions.

What documents will we need?

The couple will need to provide a certificate of baptism and proof of annulment if there were any prior marriages.

A marriage license will need to be obtained prior to the wedding. It is the responsibility of the couple to obtain the license and bring it to the wedding. Go to City of Philadelphia for marriage license details.
Both applicants must appear in person at the Register of Wills and provide the required documents, including identification. You can use your marriage license in any county in Pennsylvania. You cannot use it in another state or country. There is a three-day waiting period for marriages in Pennsylvania.

The goal of Catholic marriage preparation is to make sure you are ready for marriage, understand the seriousness and sacredness of the sacrament, grow your faith, offer advice and guidance, and provide education and support within the context of the Catholic Church.

Best wishes as you begin the journey toward sacramental marriage in the Catholic Church.

Resources:

Author: Jennie McClelland

The Marriage Group’s online Pre-Cana course, Living Our Faith In Love, is 5-star rated by couples and used in parishes in every U.S. diocese and over 90 countries. Join thousands of other couples who are building a strong marriage with our faithful, flexible, and fun course today!