Couples considering marriage at St. John the Beloved Parish, click here to complete our online form one year in advance of a possible date for the sacrament. Attendance in Diocesan Pre-Cana Classes and Stage Three Sponsor Couple Program are both required. Please refer our Wedding Booklet for detailed information.

Marriage is a Vocation. The Vatican II document Gaudium et Spes and Pope John Paul II's Familiaris Consortio remind us that the way to holiness for a couple is through their vocation of marriage. "Filled with the spirit of Christ they grow in holiness and give glory to God together." Marriage could possibly be called the model vocation, as in their married life the couple is called to mirror the way Christ loves the Church (Ephesians 5:25) and be a sign of this for the whole community.

Not only the couple but "the Christian family, reflecting and sharing in the covenant of love between Christ and the Church should show to all, the living presence of Christ and the real nature of the Church. The family will do this "through the mutual love of husband and wife, their generosity in giving life, their unity and faithfulness, and by the loving way in which all the members of the family work together."

Like any vocation, this, of course, isn't easy. It demands sacrifice, great virtue, and prayer.
Couples are called to take part in a renewal of married life, to instruct young people about marriage and to give a good example so that their children will more easily find the path to holiness.

DATING AND ENGAGED:

If you’re looking for reliable advice on preparing for your Catholic Marriage visit foryourmarriage.org. Other websites hosted by the USCCB dedicated to promoting marriage include PorTuMatrimonio.org and MarriageUniqueForAReason.org. 

ENGAGED ENCOUNTER (PRE-CANA CONFERENCES)
For couples preparing for marriage in the community of faith.  Marriage preparation has three parts:

1. Meeting with the parish priest.
2. Participation in the diocesan-sponsored Pre-Cana program or an Engaged Encounter
3. Meeting with a married couple from the parish (Stage Three Sponsor Couple Program)

The programs are designed to assist the couple in learning more about themselves, their partner and their relationship. For more information visit the Engaged Encounter website at  engagedencounter.org. 

Click to review  Catholic Marriage FAQ's.

NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING:

A series of four sessions to teach fertility awareness to married or engaged couples. The class teaches the natural signs of fertility to space children or to achieve pregnancy. Classes are scheduled as needed and taught on an individual basis.

MARRIED LIFE: 

Whether you are just starting out in marriage or have fifty years under your belt, the advice, real-life stories, and Church teaching found here can help strengthen and bless your marriage.

Below are some resources to build up your marriage all year long:

• Listen to Marriage Unique for a Reason’s Made for Love Podcast, which tells the stories of real people living out the call to love. Here are some of our favorites episodes on marriage:
  • Episode 6: Real Marriage vs. the Ideal
  • Episode 10: Men & Women: Not Two Halves, but Two Wholes
  • Episode 51: Engagement: Planning a Wedding or a Marriage?
• Take a look at our Daily Marriage Tips. Maybe you’ll find a new idea to strengthen your relationship.
• Worldwide Marriage Encounter, provides numerous resources for celebrating World Marriage Day.
• National Marriage Week offers helpful ideas for building up your own marriage, recommended reading, supporting marriage in the community, and much more. There’s also a listing of marriage-building events throughout the country.

MARRIAGE ENCOUNTER:

Marriage Encounter is open to all married couples that want to enhance their relationship with a communication technique of sharing their feelings, hopes, fears, frustrations, and joys. Marriage Encounter weekends are offered four times a year throughout the Diocese.  
For more information visit WWME website at  wwme-delmar.org.