Marriage Preparation

Congratulations on your engagement.
We look forward to celebrating your marriage with you.
The process involves several steps, some of which have costs associated with them.

Marriage Preparation Process

Why a 9 month preparation process? To prepare couples adequately to live their call to holiness through the Sacrament of Marriage. The Catholic Church wants your marriage to succeed and has outlined a process to help you both grow in love, and a deeper understanding of one another through a better understanding of the Sacrament.

Where do we begin? After you are engaged and before you set the wedding date: Contact Barbara Lishko or call; 480-899-1990 to set up an appointment for your interview.

What can we expect at the interview? The interview will be an opportunity for us to get to know one another, collect basic information and go over the whole preparation process in greater detail.

Then what happens next? You will both complete a FOCCUS Inventory (no fee).The FOCCUS Inventory is a marriage preparation inventory, which is a series of questions designed to assist dialogue with your fiancé regarding goals, habits, expectations and values. Your answers are then assessed and we provide you with a personalized profile of your relationship’s strengths and weaknesses. The inventory is an important starting place for couple discussion and a map of what issues need affirmation, time and attention, and/or problem solving. Once completed you are contacted by our representatives to go over the results. (fee)

Next complete the “Agreement for Weddings” – Fee of $300 to schedule the Church

Gathering documents:

1- For all Catholics: Baptism Certificate issued within 9 months of the wedding date. Request the Church of Baptism to forward a baptism certificate “with notations”. We can help locate churches of Baptism if you do not know how to contact them.

2-If possible, Catholics are also requested to submit photocopies copies of their 1st Communion and Confirmation certificates.

3-For non-Catholics: If the non-Catholic is a baptized Christian, we will need a certificate or letter from the Church of Baptism verifying the date. If this is not possible, we will use another means to verify baptismal status. If the non-Catholic is not a baptized Christian, no documents are required.

Next you will need to attend Marriage Preparation Courses – Charges vary by course.
Couples should choose one from the following 3 options:

  • LOVE FOR LIFE WEEKEND – a Diocesan engaged weekend (a Friday night and all day Saturday) ($135 per couple)
  • Franciscan Renewal Center (in Scottsdale) on Saturdays, 8:30am-5:30pm ($110 per couple)
  • Marriage Seminar – offered at Church of the Resurrection in Tempe on Saturdays 8:30am – 5:00pm. ($100 per couple)

AND

Marriage Theology Course
God’s Plan for a Joy-Filled Marriage is a program based on Scripture and John Paul II’s “Theology of the Body,” and it will teach you not only what the Church teaches about marriage and sexuality, but why she teaches it.  It presents a beautiful vision of the meaning of marriage.

AND

Natural Family Planning – $100 per couple
To ensure you have the tools to plan your family effectively and in accord with God’s plan for marriage, you will have the opportunity to learn about Natural Family Planning by taking a full course in an approved NFP method. The diocese has classes scheduled in over 30 locations in the diocese. To search for classes by city, parish or NFP method and to register for classes on-line, please visit the Office of NFP website: www.phxnfp.org

(There are on-line options available for the courses if that works better in a couple’s circumstances.)

Wedding Planning Time – No Fee
Once you have your documents together, and have completed the marriage preparation course, the theology course, and Natural Family Planning course, call the parish to schedule a planning meeting with the Pastor or his representative. You will be given a planning book that contains choices for prayers, vows, and readings. Music for the wedding will be planned separately with our Music and Liturgy staff. You may also be given “Affidavits of Free Status” which are to be completed by people who have known you for all or most of your life (i.e., parents, siblings, aunts or uncles)and signed in the presence of a priest or Church employee.

Wedding Planning Part Two (Music) - $50 charge if not using parish musicians
After meeting with the pastor or his representative, it’s time to begin to plan other areas of your wedding. Call our parish to schedule a meeting with one of our Music and Liturgy persons. They will help choose appropriate wedding music and assist in the hiring of musicians for your wedding. You may choose to bring in musicians of your own rather than use our musicians, but your music plan needs to be approved.

Wedding Planning Part Three (Wedding Coordinator) – $100 per couple

  • Schedule an appointment with your wedding coordinator to review your planning.
  • The Wedding Coordinator will conduct the rehearsal.
  • The Wedding Coordinator will open the Church for you one hour before your wedding, and be present before, during and after the wedding to make sure everything goes smoothly.

Finally, your Wedding Day!!!!!

Why so many preparatory steps?

  • The preparation policy is set by the Diocese of Phoenix.
  • The emphasis is on facilitating the deepening of the relationship of the couple so that our people enter into marriage with a strong, loving, wise foundation.
  • We also emphasize the couple’s relationship to God and through that hope to deepen their appreciation of God’s role in a successful and enduring marriage.

Diocese of Phoenix Marriage Prep site:  https://www.ourcovenantoflovephx.org/about.php