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Nicholas Petrillo, Associate Director of Marriage Ministries and NFP
Spring is in the air, as is the start of the wedding season. It has been a busy year for our Pre-Cana teams. By the time you read this, nearly 400 couples will have already participated in a marriage preparation program since January. What a gift the Sacrament of Matrimony is – not only to the couples who give and receive the Sacrament to each other – but to the entire community that witnesses God’s love through them.
“Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” – James 4:8
Time spent preparing for marriage is never wasted. The goal of any marriage is for the husband and wife to bring each other closer to the Lord, and for that relationship with God to draw them closer to one another as well. Having a good relationship with your spouse ought to help strengthen your relationship with God, and vice-versa. Conversely, if one of those relationships is struggling, the other is likely to suffer.
Pre-Cana is a great opportunity for couples to start, or continue, conversations about communication, finances, faith and intimacy, but it should not be the last time they do. Engagement is often a whirlwind of “big day” logistics, and couples are looking toward a future they cannot predict. Life changes after the wedding, and after the honeymoon, and (God-willing) after the birth of a child. It is expected – and healthy – for our perspectives to evolve as we enter these new stages of married life as well.
Our parish Pre-Cana teams do an incredible job sharing the joys, sorrows and victories of marriage with engaged couples. I have been blessed to work alongside these dedicated volunteers, and I pray that my own participation in these programs has helped me become a better husband (and father). Marriage takes work. Good marriage, holy marriages, need intentional time and effort to grow and mature.
Statistics show that nearly 20% of marriages end in divorce within the first five years. Knowing this and knowing that our engaged and newlywed couples desire a “Post-Cana” experience, I am thrilled to share two upcoming opportunities for newlyweds (married five years or less) to grow deeper in love with one another and with God.