August 23, 2024

Fall Marriage Supplement

Pre-Cana Retreats, Tobit Weekend and One in Christ program prepare engaged couples for marriage

Criterion staff report

Three marriage preparation programs offered in the archdiocese—the Pre-Cana Conference, Tobit Weekend and One in Christ—help prepare engaged couples for the sacrament of marriage as well as the challenges of married life.

Early registration is recommended for all programs, as each fills up quickly.

Pre-Cana Retreats cover skills for marriage, a catechesis on the sacrament of marriage and an introduction to the science and morals behind natural family planning. They are offered in English in Indianapolis and New Albany, and in Spanish in Columbus. The upcoming Pre-Cana Retreats are as follows:

Indianapolis—Sept. 21-22 at Archbishop Edward T. O’Meara Catholic Center,

1400 N. Meridian St., 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. each day, $200 per couple. More information and registration are available at cutt.ly/IndyPreCana2024.

Tobit Weekend retreats take place at Our Lady of Fatima Retreat House, 5353

E. 56th St., in Indianapolis, and are offered in English. The cost is $330, which includes program materials, meals, snacks and two rooms for two nights.

The next retreat will take place on Jan. 17-19, 2025.

Registration is available at www.archindy.org/fatima/calendar/tobit.html. For registration questions, contact Lisa Coons at lcoons@archindy.org or 317-545-7681. For more information about the program and its contents, contact Jennifer Burger at jburger@archindy.org or 317-545-7681, ext. 106.

One in Christ marriage preparation, which includes a medical panel to address questions on reproduction and fertility, is a three-day program spanning a weekend and the following Saturday. On Saturdays, the program runs from 8 a.m.-5 p.m., and on Sunday it runs from 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. The cost is $399 per couple, which covers meals and materials. Scholarships are available for those with financial difficulty.

There are three upcoming One in Christ opportunities:

  • Oct. 5, 6 and 19 at St. Elizabeth Seton Parish, 10655 Haverstick Road, in Carmel, Ind. (Lafayette Diocese).
  • Jan. 4, 5 and 18, 2025, at St. Elizabeth Seton Parish.
  • Feb. 15, 16 and March 8, 2025, St. Elizabeth Seton Parish.

To register, go to oicmarriage.org/seminar-info. For more information call 317-600-5629, e-mail info@OICIndy.com or go to oicmarriage.org.

Live retreats offer an invaluable experience for engaged couples and are the expected formation option.

However, for couples who experience significant difficulties attending a live retreat, including but not limited to preparing for marriage while out of state or country, being deployed in the armed forces or inflexible shift work at a hospital or factory, the online and self-paced Joy-Filled Marriage course ensures that no one misses out on valuable and comprehensive marriage formation. It is available in English and Spanish, and the cost is $105.

For more information or to register, go to cutt.ly/IndyPreCana2024. †

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