In the Catholic Church, marriage is an important religious event. For Catholics, the Sacrament of Marriage, or Holy Matrimony, instituted to the end that, by means of the legitimate and holy union of man and woman, children may be procreated and religiously educated for the service of God, and for the preservation of the human race.

It is a public sign that one gives oneself totally to another person. It is also a public statement about God: the loving union of husband and wife speaks of family values and also God's values. As such, preparing for marriage often means some deep reflection on how God fits into your life, your future and of course, your marriage.

Wedding Preparation

The wedding ceremony will express your belief that God will be with you to support you in your life together. For a wedding in the Catholic Church at least one of the couple must be a baptised Catholic. Couples who plan to get married in the Catholic church are encouraged to participate in the pre-marital counselling. We encourage you to talk about this with the priest as you prepare for your wedding. If you have been previously married in either a civil or religious ceremony make sure you discuss this with the priest at the first meeting.

Starting a New Life Together

Marriage preparation is a very busy time. Most couples find this to be exciting as they watch their plans unfold before them. The Catholic Church shares your joy as you begin this new phase of your journey, and there may be some aspects of the Church that are new to you. The Catholic Church enables couples to reflect on what they promise each other. One of the promises is to accept children lovingly from God.

Marriage Encounter

A Marriage Encounter is a weekend away, offering married couples a special kind of "time out", a different kind of "weekend getaway". It is an opportunity to recharge your relationship batteries and more deeply explore the precious nature of your marriage. It offers a gentle, nurturing environment, away from the pressures and distractions of daily living. Thus, it allows you both to share your feelings, hopes and dreams with each other in ways that normal, daily living tends to inhibit.

A Marriage Encounter weekend is a time for you and your spouse to be alone together, rediscover each other, re-create the romance, re-celebrate the joy and reflect on what you have learnt from the inevitable struggles in your relationship.

Marriage Encounter is for couples with basically sound marriages who want to take their relationship a step further and enrich and/or revitalise their marriage. The weekend is not equipped to deal with problems like domestic violence, infidelity or separation. Marriage Encounter is definitely NOT marriage guidance or marriage counselling. There are various government and privately funded counselling services offering assistance to marriages in crisis.

A prayer for Couples

"Bless us as we begin our journey as a married couple. We are grateful to You for bringing us together. As we share our love for our future children, may we open them up to Your love and to the unique Call in life that You have for them. Amen."

If you want to know and understand further about the Roman Catholic faith, please feel free to contact your local parish for more details. 

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