Mission Statement
To share insights and to offer personal experience about married life. To encourage engaged couples to participate in private and group conversations that will enrich their understanding of each other and open a continuous dialog on many aspects throughout their married lives.
Marriage Preparation
When a couple decides to get married, it is a time of grace and growth. It is also a time of many details and some anxiety. The Church desires to help couples prepare themselves to live this sacrament and to celebrate their marriage with dignity and joy. This preparation is required for all Catholics who intend to get married, even if the marriage is at a non-Catholic church. The priests of the parish are happy to answer specific questions about Church theology, policies, and practices on marriage. The following is a summary of the specific steps of marriage preparation.
The Catholic Church wants to help the two of you with the most important of these preparations—your spiritual preparation for a lifelong commitment.
Marriage Preparation Booklet
PreCana Requirements
PreCana is held at St. Joseph Church over one weekend. The session begins at 6:45pm Friday evening and continues at 8:45am Saturday morning. There is a break for lunch on Saturday and dinner is provided after the 5:00 Mass Saturday evening (both meals are included with your fee).
PreCana is presented by married volunteers of the parish who share experiences from their marriages. They will lead you through exercises designed to generate discussion between you and your partner about subjects you may or may not have already discussed. Through these discussions we hope you will learn something new about each other and gain a greater appreciation of each other’s different attitudes and beliefs.
PreCana covers seven topics: Communication, Past, Family Origins, Sexuality, Children, Finances/Friends/Work/Leisure Time, and Spirituality. Throughout the sessions, couples do workbook exercises that help them discover differences and similarities in their backgrounds. After discussing the exercises privately, you will participate in a small group discussion, facilitated by the married volunteers.
PreCana Registration costs $100 per couple, and is handled by Kathryn Johnson who is a secretary in the Parish Office. Send the PreCana Registration Form, along with a check for $100 made payable to St. Joseph Church to Kathryn’s attention at St. Joseph Church, 2935 Kingston Rd., York, PA 17402. If you have any questions regarding registration, you can contact Kathryn at 717-755-7503, ext. 222, or Johnson@sjy.org.
Upcoming PreCana Dates
February 10 & 11, 2012
April 13 & 14, 2012
June 8 & 9, 2012
August 10 & 11, 2012
October 12 & 13, 2012
God's Plan for a Joy-Filled Marriage Seminar at St. Joseph, York, PA
November 5, 2011
March 3, 2012
May 19, 2012
July 21, 2012
November 10, 2012
For other locations and dates www.hbgdiocese.org under Diocesan Marriage Preparation Dates for 2012
Registration for Couples
Click here to print and mail the Pre-Cana Registration Form.
Contact for Pre-Cana:
Kathryn Johnson
717-755-7503
Johnson@sjy.org
Who is Eligible to Mentor Pre-Cana Couples?
Couples married at least five years.
Contact for Mentorship
Charlotte & Dave Bader
717-764-4501
Cbader2@comcast.net