Marriage Preparation

Mailing Address
Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center
702 S. High Point Rd.
Madison, WI 53719

Voice: 608-821-3175
Fax: 608-821-3181

Andy Galvin
Coordinator of Marriage Preparation
608-821-4517

Alison Hetue
Family Planning Coordinator
608-821-3134

OEC Directory

Congratulations on your recent engagement!
What an exciting time to have found the person of your dreams and to offer oneself to the other in a loving, life-giving, life-long relationship.

The Church earnestly desires to assist all engaged couples to be fully prepared for their lifetime of love and joy. The following pages outline the process and requirements to be married within the Catholic Church in the Diocese of Madison.

Yet, preparing for your marriage must be more than a set of requirements! The marriage prep program assists couples in understanding one another and the beautiful vision of marital love that is the heart of Christian marriage.

If there is anyway we can help you beyond the content of these pages, don’t hesitate to let us know. But in the meantime, be assured of our prayers for you and may God bless you as you prepare for the rest of your lives together.

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN for Winter and Spring 2013 classes!
To see the full schedule of classes, click on the "Current Marriage Prep Dates" under Important MP Links.
To check availability of remaining classes, select "Register Here for MP Session" below, the "Register Here" button and then click on the "Seminars" tab. Classes that are full will not show in the drop-down lists.

MP Retreat Weekends

Want to make the most of your marriage preparation? Consider attending one of the scheduled weekend retreats. I know it's a lot of time ( a whole weekend!). But isn't it worth it as you get ready to make the most significant decision of your life? In addition to meeting all the marriage prep requirements, this special retreat will deepen your relationship with one another and your understanding of the gift of the Sacrament of Marriage.

Topics include communication, faith, sexuality, stewardship, and God's divine plan for marriage
Greater dialogue time for deeper discussio - time for just the two of you!
Opportunity for Mass, confession and prayer
Meets the requirement of attending both MP days

* Read what past attendees say...
* Read a recent Catholic Herald article: Take a Retreat to Prepare for Your Marriage

Retreat starts on Friday night at 6pm and ends Sunday at 2pm. The cost is $245 per couple and includes meals, lodging and materials. Register early! Session size is limited and registration closes two weeks in advance of retreat. Click here to register.

Get away for a weekend with the one you love and make the most of your marriage preparation.

Join the Marriage Prep Team!

The Diocese of Madison is looking for married couples to share their marriage and faith with newly engaged couples. Training is offered year round for interested married couples.

For more information, go to How You Can Join the MP Team! or contact Andy Galvin at (608) 821-4517 or at andy.galvin@straphael.org.

Help your marriage, help the marriages of many others, and help the Church build a culture of love and life.

ForYourMarriage.org

This website deserves a bookmark for its wealth of marriage-building tools: blogs, daily marriage tips, personal stories, videos, marriage inventories, and links to resources in your area, just to name a few. And it's sponsored by the U.S. Catholic bishops' pastoral initiative on marriage. Go to ForYourMarriage.org.

Questions about how to plan your wedding?

Diocese of Madison
Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center
702 South High Point Road
PO Box 44983
Madison, WI 53719
Phone: 608-821-3000
Fax: 608-821-3013