Marriage Preparation Programs

Relationship-focused programs are the ideal option for marriage preparation. They provide a personalized, relational approach, and they have the potential for fostering long-term connections between couples who can support one other as they encounter joys and challenges throughout their lives rather than just during the preparation stage. 

1. Witness to Love - This parish-based mentor program is offered in a number of parishes in our diocese and we believe it to be the most effective marriage preparation program available today.  Ask your parish if this option is available to you, or for more details, go to  https://witnesstolove.org/.  If you are a parish or pastor interested in starting a Witness to Love Program, your liaison can walk you through the process.

2. Catholic Marriage Prep Online - Ideal for couples who are unable to connect with local resources.  Unlike other online marriage prep programs, which require a couple to watch a series of videos and discuss the content amongst themselves before obtaining a certificate of completion, Catholic Marriage Prep Online connects engaged couples with a mentor couple online who assists them through the process. They cover both theology and catechesis as well as the practical skills needed for a successful marriage. The sessions are structured in a "go at your own pace" format - scheduling with a mentor couple isn't necessary.  For details or to register go to https://catholicmarriageprep.com.

Three other diocesan approved options for marriage preparation are the ECHO for Engaged couples retreat, the [ENGAGED] course hosted by Paul and Gretchen George of Discover the Art of Living, and the Catholic Engaged Encounter Retreat, which are both intended to supplement a broader marriage preparation process facilitated by either the pastor or deacon officiating the wedding or their designated representative.  Information about both options can be found here: 

1. ECHO for Engaged Couples: At ECHO at Maryhill Renewal Center, engaged couples will come together for the weekend to dive into St. John Paul II's Theology of the Body in preparation to enter into the sacrament of marriage while in the context of authentic community with other couples and mentors. The retreat will offer dynamic talks, life giving discussions, quality time, encounters with Christ through the sacraments, art, music, silent prayer, and so much more! This is a good supplement to any marriage prep program you have going on in your parish, or as the Witness to Love Retreat component.

2. ENGAGED Course - Registration and more information can be found at http://discovertheartofliving.com/engaged.  This is a combination of a video retreat and a live processing discussion over Zoom with Paul and Gretchen George.  After registering, you will take the video retreat on your own and then schedule a personal Zoom call with Paul and Gretchen to unpack what you received in the retreat.

3. Catholic Engaged Encounter Retreat - These weekend retreats give engaged couples the opportunity to intentionally invest in their relationship as they prepare for the Sacrament of Marriage.  While these retreats are not held in the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, there are opportunities to attend retreats in the Dioceses of Lafayette, New Orleans, and Baton Rouge.  

Video programs can be incorporated into a larger marriage preparation process to facilitate conversation between the engaged couple, a mentor couple, and/or the priest preparing them for marriage.  Leader guides are included to assist in the discussion.  There are two main options availble:

1. Joy-Filled Marriage (Ascension Press) - also available in Spanish
2. Beloved (FORMED.org/Augustine Institute) - also available in Spanish