Top 10 Questions About Pre-Cana Answered
What is Pre-Cana?
Pre-Cana is the process through which engaged couples prepare for marriage. It has practical, emotional, financial, social, and spiritual components. Pre-Cana is a term used by the Catholic Church to describe the marriage preparation process specifically related to a couple celebrating sacramental marriage in the church. In the Catholic Church, marriage is a sacrament and therefore it is permanent. That’s why it’s so important to prepare couples for this lifelong commitment.
Why is it called Pre-Cana?
Cana was a city in ancient Galilee where Jesus performed his first miracle: turning water into wine at a wedding. Mary, the mother of Jesus, noticed that the wine was running out at the wedding celebration, and she asked Jesus to help out. At first, Jesus resisted his mother’s request, but she said to the servers at the wedding, “Do whatever he tells you”. Jesus then turned at least 120 gallons of water into fine wine. This miracle was the first of many that revealed Jesus’ glory as the Son of God. The story is recorded in the Bible, and you can find it in the Gospel of John, chapter 2.
What does “Pre-Cana” mean?
Pre-Cana is what happens “before the wedding”. Cana was a turning point for Jesus. The wedding is a turning point for those called to the vocation of sacramental marriage in the Catholic Church. Jesus spent his youth and young adulthood gathering his followers, learning, and discerning. Those experiences prepared him for his world-changing ministry, which began with the miracle of changing water into wine, under the direction of his mother, at the wedding at Cana.
The “Pre-Cana” that a couple does before they actually say their wedding vows and start living as a married couple helps prepare them for a happy and fulfilling marriage.
How does Pre-Cana Work?
When a couple meets with their parish priest or deacon to start planning their wedding, they will learn what types of Pre-Cana are required by that parish or diocese. Sometimes there are multiple options for Pre-Cana. Some are weekend programs or retreats while others are a series of in-person classes. Another option is a fully online Pre-Cana program like the one offered by The Marriage Group. Couples may choose to do an online Pre-Cana program on their own as further preparation for their marriage even after attending an in-person preparation class.
Pre-Cana often begins at least six months before the intended wedding. Some couples are paired with a sponsor couple to help them through the process.
Pre-Cana courses include a series of topics ranging from communication, future goals, family of origin, intimacy and sexuality, Natural Family Planning (NFP) and others. Many parishes require a pre-marriage inventory as well, which uses science to find areas for further discussion based on couples’ responses to questions.
Couples need to prove that they have completed all of the required Pre-Cana steps for a priest or deacon to agree to officiate the marriage ceremony in the Catholic Church. Certificates of completion are issued when all the requirements of a Pre-Cana course are met.
Is Pre-Cana required?
Yes! Marriage is a serious commitment. Married people are living a sacramental vocation, just as priests and nuns and others who take vows to live a religious life. There is a process to become a priest, nun, deacon, monk, or other religious person. There is also a process to discern marriage.
Engaged couples can’t skip Pre-Cana. People who have been previously married are required to take the Pre-Cana course if they want to have their marriage blessed by the Church or convalidated. Couples who are already cohabitating are also required to take the Pre-Cana course.
Online courses are a good option for couples that are separated by distance, have incompatible schedules, are in the military, or have other reasons that make in-person Pre-Cana difficult.
Upon completion of Pre-Cana, engaged couples will have a deeper understanding of themselves and each other and often refer back to what they learned in Pre-Cana throughout their married lives.
How long does Pre-Cana take?
The Marriage Group offers a comprehensive, fully on-line, on-demand Pre-Cana course that can be completed in about 8 hours. The course includes online videos, discussion guides, and His and Hers Discussion Guides. The course is flexible for every schedule, faithful to Catholic teaching, and fun for couples to use. The course is in the list of approved programs by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, USCCB.
Some in-person Pre-Cana instruction is stretched out over several months and involves working with sponsor couples. Some courses are completed at a weekend retreat. Details of those Pre-Cana courses are usually found on the website of the parish or diocese hosting the event.
Where do you do Pre-Cana?
Pre-Cana can be done in a few ways. Some parishes or dioceses offer weekend retreats that fulfill the Pre-Cana requirements. There are also in-person Pre-Cana classes that are offered at locations within dioceses. Some parishes will have sponsor couples facilitate Pre-Cana instruction with engaged couples.
Pre-Cana can also be done online. The Marriage Group offers an 8-hour course that is trusted and listed as a resource on the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. The course can be done on-demand and includes a certificate of completion at the end. This option is preferred by couples that want more privacy for their instruction, are separated by distance, have busy schedules, or many other reasons. The Marriage Group’s Pre-Cana course includes comprehensive videos with a variety of content including an online community and events.
Online Pre-Cana can also supplement in-person Pre-Cana requirements to get engaged couples started on a marriage full of happiness, fulfillment, and grace. For couples who want more than just a weekend experience, The Marriage Group provides an online community called Marriage Every Day for all Catholic couples who want to grow in their relationship.
Can you do Pre-Cana online?
Yes! Thousands of couples around the world have used The Marriage Group’s fully online and on-demand Pre-Cana program to fulfill the requirements of their parish. Couples should ask their priest, deacon, or other parish representative if an online course is allowed. The Marriage Group’s representative will reach out to a priest or deacon if they need more information to approve the use of the course.
Online courses cover all of the same topics as in-person courses and allow for greater privacy and deeper reflection on concerning topics. Online courses offer flexibility for couples with complicated schedules, geographic separation, and other situations.
Can you fail Pre-Cana?
No. If you give Pre-Cana your best effort, you “passed”. Most couples find that Pre-Cana is a cherished experience and reminds them why they want to get married in the first place. Every couple will face conflicts and disagreements. Pre-Cana courses give couples the tools to handle conflicts when they arise and to keep working toward a stronger and more satisfying marriage.
These skills provide a foundation for a healthy relationship, and it’s best to continue the growth by actively working on these skills. The best way to do that is to continue connecting with relationship-building activities like books, classes, and communities that promote healthy relationships.
It is possible that Pre-Cana will reveal that it’s best to delay marriage until you work some things out. In rare cases, a priest may decide not to bless a marriage if there are grave concerns about the couple and their readiness for a permanent sacramental marriage in the Catholic Church.
What is the point of Pre-Cana?
Pre-Cana prepares couples for marriage in the Catholic Church. Pre-Cana is a course that provides instruction on topics like communication, future goals, intimacy, Natural Family Planning (NFP), and others. It also provides many opportunities for discussion, understanding, and listening between engaged couples.
The point of Pre-Cana is to give couples a healthy start and to make sure they understand the seriousness of the Sacrament of Marriage in the Catholic Church.
Pre-Cana classes are offered in a variety of ways from weekend retreats to a series of courses with a mentor couple to fully online and on-demand courses such as the one offered by The Marriage Group. The Marriage Group’s Pre-Cana Course, Living Our Faith In Love, takes around 8 hours to complete and is listed as a resource on the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
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!
