Pre-Cana Marriage Preparation Program
Three Programs 

The engaged couple is given the opportunity to share privately with one another in the comfortable environs of the mentor couple's home. The role of the mentor couple is to initiate and provide examples of their own life experiences in areas of communication, finances, family, spirituality, and intimacy that often pose challenges and issues in a relationship.

The CEE is designed for couples planning to marry in the Catholic Church to prepare for the Sacrament of Marriage.  CEE weekends are both content and experiential focused. Couples will share in private about the marriage they are about to enter.  Two presenting couples and a priest lead engaged couples through a series of exercises using personal experiences upon which the engaged couple will reflect and dialogue on their own relationship.

Sponsored by the Arlington Diocese, CFE presents the Church's teaching on marriage. Led by a team of presenters, including a priest and two married couples, the CFE give their personal perspectives coupled by that of the Church on the purpose and challenges of marriage. A detailed explanation of Natural Family Planning (NFP) is given at the end of the weekend.

Provides the opportunity for a couple to view their expectations about marriage realistically by sharing privately with one another, thus helping them to grow closer together. The CMP enables the engaged couple to receive an internal perspective of Christian married life, focusing on expectations, values and conflicts, marital sexuality, and life and love aspects.

Provides a weekend away from family, friends, work and wedding preparations.  Engaged couples are given the opportunity to focus on each other exclusively in an environment that encourages deep communication and openness.

Quoted from the website: “We [the Church] are committed to your marriage. Each of you share in the life of Christ's body, the Church. As with the human body, what impacts one part, impacts the whole. Your marriage matters to Jesus.”

Schedule determined by couple and consists of four 2-hour sessions

Weekend program begins on a Friday evening and ends on Sunday afternoon.

Begins on a Friday evening and ends on Saturday afternoon and offered twice per month.

Mentor couple's home

Hilton Washington Dulles Hotel

Various locations (see website)

No Cost (materials are included). Certification of attendance is issued at completion of last session.

$260 covers both hotel rooms and all meals for Saturday and Sunday

$60 ($80 for those not registered in a parish in the Arlington Diocese); transferable to another weekend but not refundable

REGISTRATION INFO

Call the Parish Office 703-527-5500 to register. For more information, go to
StCharlesChurch.org/ministry/
couplementoring.php

Registration requests are accepted by mail only and are processed on a first-come, first-serve basis. Check the website for mail and schedule info www.EngagedEncounterVA.org

Register at least 6 months in advance of the date of marriage. Phone registrations not accepted. www.arlingtondiocese.org/offices/
family/mpe-prep.html