Marriage Preparation Process

The Marriage Preparation Process is a gift to you and your intended spouse. Our intention is that during this time you will grow to have a better understanding of each other while discerning God’s call in your lives to the Sacrament of Matrimony. Under normal circumstances, the Marriage Preparation Process takes about 9 months, so please plan accordingly. The process for validating a civil marriage is basically the same with a few modifications. Wedding dates CANNOT be scheduled if an annulment is pending. The annulment process is required for all prior marriages whether Catholic or civil. For Steps 3, 4, and 5 Certificates of Completion will be issued by the individual program organizer. Each Certificate of Completion needs to be delivered to Our Lady of Lourdes parish office to be included in the couple’s prenuptial file.

MARRIAGE REQUEST FORM (ONLINE) MARRIAGE REQUEST FORM (PDF)

Marriage Preparation Process:

1. Meet with Pastor’s Delegate Coordinator

Part 1: The engaged couple meets with the Marriage Prep Coordinator to discuss the Diocese of Phoenix Marriage Preparation Process.  

Part 2: The couple meets with Priest or Delegate to complete the Prenuptial Inquiry. This takes about 30 minutes. If no impediments to marriage exist, a wedding date can be set and directions on completing the FOCCUS Assessment will be given.

2. Pre-Marital Inventory (FOCCUS Assessment)

The FOCCUS Assessment is a series of questions designed to assess each of your habits, expectations, and values. Each individual takes the assessment independently online and then results are scored collectively to provide you with a personalized profile of your relationship's strengths and weaknesses. Once the FOCCUS Assessment has been completed, we at the parish will contact you to review the results. The inventory is an important starting place for couple discussion and a map of what issues need time and attention, affirmation, or problem solving.
There is a one-time fee of $25.00 to complete your FOCCUS Assessment. You pay for this online as you are registering to take the inventory. Marriage Prep Coordinator sends you link to enroll in FOCCUS.

3. Married Life Skills Training (7-8 months before the wedding)

Married Life Skills Training is an educational component designed to fine tune practical skills such as conflict resolution, decision-making, financial management, and communication. This will build on the knowledge you gained from your FOCCUS Assessment.
Three options are provided for you to complete Married Life Skills Training either through the Diocese of Phoenix, or through Engaged Encounter Weekend or a Transformed In Love Prep Course. Listed below are the program outlines of the Marriage Prep Courses. Please decide which program fits your needs and availability to fulfill this requirement.

Diocesan Course - Love for Life Engaged Weekend
Love for Life Engaged Weekend is the course offered at the Diocesan Pastoral Center in downtown Phoenix. Love for Life Engaged Weekend provides couples with a comprehensive and focused opportunity to enter honest and intense dialogue with your fiancée about practical issues in marriage. Topics are presented by Diocesan leaders. Times and dates for this course varies and may be offered as weekend retreat or multiple evening meetings. The cost of this course is $135. For more information about the course and to register online visit www.phxmarriageprep.org.

Engaged Encounter – Phoenix Catholic Engaged Encounter
Catholic Engaged Encounter offers a weekend-long retreat away from the hustle and bustle of life, where you can focus on each other, your relationship, and what it means to become a sacrament. The retreat provides private one on one time for the couple to learn about each other and marriage based on 5 major themes: The Family we Grew Up In, Sacramental Marriage, Communications, Intimacy and Values. The cost of this course is $175 per couple. For more information about the course and to register online visit www.phoenix.engagedencounter.com.

Transformed In Love-Various Parishes, Closest @ St. Clare of Assisi
Is a sacramental formation process, designed to help you build skills for a faith-filled married life. It consists of 7 classes which take place on consecutive Saturday evenings. The cost of this course is $50 per couple. For more information about the course and to register ask your Marriage Prep Coordinator or outreach Joe Lukaszewski at St. Clare of Assisi jlukaszewski@stcpaz.org.

4. God’s Plan for a Joy-filled Marriage (6-8 months before wedding)

God's Plan for a Joy-Filled Marriage is a program designed to get everyone on the same page spiritually. The program is based on John Paul II's "Theology of the Body" and will teach you not only what the Church teaches about marriage and sexuality, but why she teaches it. This will prepare you to live married life as God intends. This class is offered at various locations throughout the valley. Dates and registration are available online at www.phxmarriageprep.org. The cost for God’s Plan for a Joy-Filled Marriage is $85 and is due upon online registration.

5. Natural Family Planning (4-6 months before wedding)

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. God’s Plan for a Joy filled Marriage Seminar must be taken prior to the first NFP class (however, you can register for the class prior to). NFP class requirements may be satisfied in one of two ways; through the Diocese of Phoenix Office of Natural Family Planning or through a diocesan approved course at a private physician’s office. Exemptions are given to this Step based on age.

Diocesan NFP Classes
The diocese has classes scheduled in over 30 locations in the diocese and online classes. To search for classes by city, parish or NFP method and to register for classes on-line, please visit the site www.phxmarriageprep.org. The cost for NFP ranges from $100-$135 and is due upon registration.

OB/GYN Office Classes
Morning Star OB/GYN under the direction of Dr. Clint Leonard offers a variety of NFP courses all of which satisfy the Phoenix Diocese NFP marriage preparation requirement. All sessions are taught individual (one couple with one instructor). Over 15 major insurance plans are accepted in this office, most of these plans cover the costs of the classes as preventive care for family planning. For more information or to schedule an appointment visit their website at morningstarobgyn.com/morningstar/links.cfm?type=nfp.

6. The Sacrament of Reconciliation (recommended, not required)

The Church invites all Catholics to prepare themselves spiritually prior to their marriage through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Obviously, this step is not required but is strongly encouraged. The peace of mind and soul which this sacrament imparts to us is one for which there is no substitute. It is a peace that flows from a certainty, rather than from an unsure hope, that our sins have been forgiven and that we are right with God.

7. Final Meeting with Marriage Prep Coordinator or Celebrant (4-6 weeks before wedding)

• For each baptized party, obtain a new Baptismal Certificate with all notations (newly dated withing the last 9 months), with all Sacraments noted and with the parish seal. You must contact your parish of Baptism to obtain this.
• If there was a prior marriage, provide a copy of the annulment decree or death certificate.
• If civilly married, provide a copy of your civil marriage license.
• Necessary Affidavits of Freedom- This affidavit is the written testimony of someone who knows you very well (usually your parents or close relative) stating that you are free to marry. These forms either need to be completed at another parish, signed and dated with the seal of the church where the signature was witnessed and mailed to Our Lady of Lourdes or they can be brought to Our Lady of Lourdes during regular office hours to be completed, signed, and dated with the seal of the church where the signature was witnessed.
• Certificate of Completion for Married Life Skills
• Certificate of Completion for God’s Plan for a Joy-Filled Marriage
• Certificate of Completion Natural Family Planning
• Finalize Liturgy Information before Rehearsal Day (Readings, Hymns, Events)