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Marriage Preparation

“The vocation to marriage is written in the very nature of man and woman as they came from the hand of the Creator. Marriage is not a purely human institution.  God who created man out of love also calls him to love – the fundamental and innate vocation of every human being. For man is created in the image and likeness of God who is himself love.” Catechism of the Catholic Church, #1603, 1604

En español Engaged resources

Congratulations on your engagement! The vocation of married love is a beautiful and challenging one that deserves special preparation. Pope Francis said, “Dear young people, don’t be afraid to marry. A faithful and fruitful marriage will bring you happiness.” Your marriage will not only bring you happiness and transform your own futures, but it will also have lasting effects on many others and on succeeding generations.  

Diocesan Policy

The initial process begins at the parish and involves paperwork, such as producing affidavits of freedom to marry from parents or others close to the couple as well as baptismal certificates issued within the last six months. An engaged couple must also complete a questionnaire, often called a premarital inventory, which helps a priest or pastoral minister to identify areas of disagreement that require further discussion.

Couples will then participate in the diocesan marriage preparation program, which has three main components: the Pre-Marriage Course online, a 6-session Beloved program with a mentor couple at your parish or a Beloved weekend retreat, and a Natural Family Planning introduction. You will receive a completion certificate for each component you attend.

These components can be done in any order and will be offered on a regular basis. This may be followed by one or more sessions with a priest or pastoral minister at your parish.

For a more detailed description of each component, please keep scrolling for more information.

resources for engaged couples

The Pre-Marriage Course

This is a 5-week online course held multiple times a year via Zoom. There is also an option to complete a self-paced option.

Register

Beloved retreat weekend

This is a weekend retreat for couples who are not participating in a mentor couple program at their parish. Retreats are offered 3 times a year either in Huntington or South Bend.

register

Natural Family Planning introduction

A Natural Family Planning overview will be held 8 times this year via Zoom. Each session will include the physiology of NFP, the Church’s teaching about sexuality and married love, the scientific and spiritual benefits of NFP, and testimonies from real local couples.

register

The Pre-Marriage Course

Weekly meetings via Zoom

The 5 session Pre-Marriage Course is designed to help engaged couples build a strong and loving life together. Each session has built-in time for you and your fiancé(e) to have a heart-to-heart conversation on the topic of the night. We’ll gather online once a week to hear from real couples and relationship experts from all around the world. Each person will need a copy of the Pre-Marriage Course journal, available for purchase at Churchsource or Amazon, linked below. Some parishes may have purchased journals in bulk so please check with your pastor if there are any copies available for you.

Session 1: Communication
Session 2: Conflict
Session 3: Commitment
Session 4: Connection
Session 5: Adventure

christian books churchsource amazon

Upcoming Live Pre-Marriage Course Series

Dates for 2025 will be posted later this year.

 Don’t forget your journals! These are important for the course. Purchase at Amazon or Churchsource.

If you cannot attend any of the live sessions, please register for the self-paced Pre-Marriage Course by clicking on the link below.

Click here for Self-Paced Pre-Marriage Course Registration 

Your self-paced course will start the day after you register, so order your journals ASAP! Purchase at Amazon or Churchsource.

Beloved retreat

If your parish does not offer a mentor couple program for the Beloved part of marriage preparation, please sign up for one of the retreat dates below. All retreats begin Friday evening at 7pm and go through Sunday afternoon at 1pm. The cost for each retreat is $100/couple in 2024 and includes all meals and lodging.

2025 Dates:
February 14-16, 2025 at Lindenwood Retreat Center, Plymouth
May 23-25, 2025 at Lindenwood Retreat Center, Plymouth
September 12-14, 2025 at St. Felix Catholic Center, Huntington

Packing list

February Beloved retreat at Sacred Heart Parish Center

104 Sacred Heart Parish Center, Notre Dame, IN

 Directions to the Parish Center (located on Moreau Drive)

EAST (Ironwood) and SOUTH (Twyckenham): Take Douglas Road east from the Twyckenham roundabout to the next roundabout. Follow directions to Moreau Drive (old Douglas Road). Drive west down to the Parish Center parking lot about a half mile. (No access to SR 933 from Moreau Drive)

WEST (SR 933): Turn east onto the new Douglas Road at the traffic light by Toll Road entrance. Bear right at the first and second roundabouts, the first continuing east on Douglas Road, the second heading off onto Moreau Drive (old Douglas Road). Go through the traffic light, and continue west about a half mile, nearly to the end of the road, and turn left into the last drive, where the parking lot for the Parish Center is located.

NORTH (Juniper): Go south on Juniper past the first exit for Douglas Road on the roundabout to the second (left/east) exit for Douglas Road. At the next roundabout, stay in the right lane, and veer right onto Moreau Drive (old Douglas Road). Continue driving west to the Parish Center parking lot, on your left about a half mile.

Cost is $100/couple and includes meals and lodging. Please contact your pastor if cost is an issue.

Linens and towels will be provided. There are men’s and women’s showers on each floor. All rooms are single occupancy.

Suggested packing list:

  • Reusable water bottle
  • Rosary
  • Bible or other spiritual reading
  • Shower shoes
  • Warm clothes and shoes for outdoor walks
  • Games or other activities for free time

Contact Lisa Everett at 574-386-2947 if you have questions or need help finding the parish center.

Bride's Name(Required)
Groom's name(Required)
MM slash DD slash YYYY
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My fiancé(e) identifies as…(Required)

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Beloved retreats at Lindenwood Retreat Center

February 14-16 & May 23-25, 2025

9601 S. Union Rd., Plymouth, IN

Directions to the Parish Center (located on Moreau Drive)
COMING FROM THE EAST (PLYMOUTH, FORT WAYNE, WARSAW, SOUTH BEND AIRPORT)

Take Highway 30 west past Walmart in Plymouth. Go 6 miles to the green road signs that say “Donaldson, Ancilla College, Lindenwood Retreat and Conference Center.” Follow sign and turn left onto Union Rd. Go down Union Rd. south 2 1/2 miles. 1/8 mile past the 3rd stop sign is the main entrance on your right. Follow the entrance onto the campus. Turn left at the stop sign. The building you will see in front of you is Lindenwood. Turn left to enter Lot D. Registration will be in the lobby inside the main entrance.

COMING FROM THE WEST (CHICAGO, MERRILLVILLE, VALPARAISO)
  • Take Highway 30 east past the flashing yellow light at the intersection of Highway 30 and Highway 23. Go 3 miles to the green road signs that say “Donaldson, Ancilla College, Lindenwood and Retreat and Conference Center.” Turn right onto Union Rd.
  • Go down Union Rd. south 2 1/2 miles. 1/8 mile past the 3rd stop sign is our main entrance on your right. Follow the entrance onto the campus. Turn left at the stop sign. The building you will see in front of you is Lindenwood. Turn left to enter Lot D. Registration will be in the lobby inside the main entrance.
COMING FROM THE NORTH OR SOUTH (SOUTH BEND OR INDIANAPOLIS)
  • Take Highway 31 north from Indianapolis or south from South Bend to 30 West.
  • Take Highway 30 west past Walmart in Plymouth.
  • Go 6 miles to green road signs that say “Donaldson, Ancilla College, Lindenwood Retreat and Conference Center.”
  • Follow sign and turn left onto Union Rd.
  • Go down Union Rd. south 2 1/2 miles (you will go through 3 stop signs).
  • 1/8 mile past the 3rd stop sign is the main entrance on your right.
  • Follow the entrance onto the campus. Turn left at the stop sign. The building you will see in front of you is Lindenwood. Turn left to enter Lot D. Registration will be in the lobby inside the main entrance.

Cost is $100/couple and includes meals and lodging. Please contact your pastor if cost is an issue.

Linens and towels will be provided. All rooms are double occupancy with a private bathroom, and you will be assigned a roommate. 

Suggested packing list:

  • Reusable water bottle
  • Rosary
  • Bible or other spiritual reading
  • Warm clothes and shoes for outdoor walks
  • Games or other activities for free time

Contact Lisa Everett at 574-386-2947 if you have questions or need help finding the parish center.

Bride's Name(Required)
Groom's name(Required)
MM slash DD slash YYYY
We will be attending on(Required)
Bride identifies as…(Required)

Groom identifies as…(Required)

Address(Required)

April Beloved retreat at St. Felix Catholic Center

Registration for the April retreat is now full.

Please register for the September retreat at St. Felix Catholic Center below.

September 12-14, 2025 Retreat at St. Felix Catholic Center

If you are experiencing issues registering for this retreat, email Caty: [email protected] to secure your spot. We are experiencing intermittent issues with our registration forms, and you will be notified when this registration form is functioning again so you can complete registration and provide payment.

1280 Hitzfield St, Huntington, IN 46750

Cost is $100/couple and includes meals and lodging. Please contact your pastor if cost is an issue.

All rooms are single occupancy and with men’s and women’s showers on each wing. Towels are not included.

Packing list:

  • Reusable water bottle
  • Rosary
  • Towels
  • Toiletries
  • Shower shoes
  • Games or other activities for down time

Click here to visit the St. Felix Catholic Center website.

Bride's Name(Required)
Groom's name(Required)
MM slash DD slash YYYY
We will be attending on(Required)
Bride identifies as…(Required)

Groom identifies as…(Required)

Address(Required)

Introduction to Natural Family Planning

Join us via Zoom on any of the Wednesdays listed below from 7-9pm to learn about Natural Family Planning. Starting in September 2024, NFP introductions will run from 6:30-9pm.

Natural Family Planning (NFP), sometimes called Fertility Awareness Based Methods (FABM), uses science-based methods of understanding the natural signs of fertility and infertility which occur in a woman’s body, and helps a couple discern whether to achieve or avoid a pregnancy any given month. International studies confirm that, when used to avoid pregnancy, NFP has an effectiveness rate of 98-99% for a couple who has been properly instructed and who follows the method carefully.

Keep scrolling to register below. You only need to attend one session to fulfill the marriage preparation requirements.

Married couples and single women interested learning more about their fertility are also welcome to join.

more NFP resources

2024 NFP Introduction Dates:

February 7
March 6
May 1
June 5
August 7
September 4 (6:30-9pm)
October 2 (6:30-9pm)
December 4 (6:30-9pm)

2025 NFP introduction dates will be posted before the end of the year.

Resources for Engaged Couples

Communication & Intimacy
Mental & Emotional Health
Sex Natural Family Planning
Sexuality in marriage
Partnership & Spirituality
Wedding planning
Healing from family of origin wounds (divorce/separation, abuse, addiction, mental illness, etc.)