MARRIAGE PREPARATION

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding!

What a great joy it is to discover you have been called to the vocation of married life. The church wants to accompany you in this exciting and important time.


Preparing for the Sacrament of Matrimony

The vocation to married life, just as other vocations, requires prayerful discernment and committed preparation. Pope Francis reminds us: ā€œThe call to married life, therefore, requires a heartfelt discernment of the quality of the relationship and a period of engagement to confirm it. To approach the Sacrament of Marriage, the engaged couple must establish the certainty that the hand of God is in their bond and that he precedes and accompanies them and will enable them to say: With the Grace of Christ I promise to be faithful to you always. They cannot promise each other fidelity ā€œin good times and in bad, in sickness and in healthā€, and to love and honour one another all the days of their lives, solely on the basis of good will or of the hope that it ā€˜will work outā€™. They need to ground themselves on the solid terrain of Godā€™s faithful Love. And this is why, before receiving the Sacrament of Matrimony, there should be a careful preparation, I would say a catechumenate, because with love oneā€™s entire life is at stake, one does not kid around with love. The preparation must be mature and it takes time. It is not a formality: it is a Sacrament.ā€ (Pope Francis, General Audience, 2018)

The call to prayerful discernment and committed preparation is not only for newly engaged couples but it is also for those seeking to convalidate their marriages. Convalidation is a marriage preparation process for couples who are civilly married but not married before a Catholic priest or deacon. Click here to learn more about convalidation.

In the Archdiocese of San Antonio, the local parishes guide couples in the process of preparation for the Sacrament of Matrimony. Please contact your parish office to inquire more about this process. Click here to find a parish near you.


7 Steps for Marriage Preparation

If your Pastor has recommended that you participate in a marriage formation event outside of the parish, please make sure you have read the 7 Steps for Marriage Preparation before registering for any of the marriage preparation events.

Couples meet with their home parish priest, deacon, or delegate for initial intake to learn about the marriage preparation process and how long the process will take for them.

Couples then meet with priest, deacon, or delegate to fill-out the Archdiocesan Pre-Nuptial Questionnaire and a Pre-Marital Inventory.

Couple attends meetings with their priest, delegate, or sponsor couple for follow up to the Pre-Marital Inventory and for general formation for the Sacrament of Matrimony.

If recommended by their home parish, couples attend a Deanery/Parish/Archdiocesan formation day/weekend/seminar 4-8 months before their wedding to complement the individual meetings the couple had with the priest, his delegate, or the sponsor couple.

Optional: Natural Family Planning Course (3 sessions) with certified instructors

Couples meet with priest, deacon, or delegate to plan liturgy.

Couples meet with priest, deacon, or delegate for wedding rehearsal.

For frequently asked questions about marriage preparation and formation, click here.


Marriage Preparation Retreats

St. Peter the Apostle-Boerne Marriage Prep Retreat

April 26-27, 2024
Fridays 6:30 PM-9:00 PM; Saturdays 8:30 AM-5:30 PM (Vigil Mass)
St. Peter the Apostle-Boerne (202 W. Kronkosky St., Boerne, TX 78006 – Directions)
Contact: Lacey Sorrell


Encuentro Matrimonial  (Spanish)

March 8-10, 2024 | 7:00 PM
Drury Plaza Hotel (95 NE Interstate 410 Loop, San Antonio, TX 78216 – Directions)
Contact: Elda Salas


UNITAS Marriage Prep Retreat (English)

Saturday, March 16, 2024 | 9:00 AM-5:00 PM
Little Flower Basilica (907 Kentucky Ave. San Antonio, TX 78201 – Directions)
Contact: Yolanda Vargas


Marriage Preparation Weekend Retreat (English)

April 12-14, 2024
Friday: 6:30-9:00 PM; Saturday: 9:00 AM-12:00 PM; Sunday: 4:00-6:30 PM
Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church (223 E Summit Ave, SATX 78212 – Directions)
Facilitators: Deacon George Wunderlich and Irene Wunderlich


Holy Spirit Marriage Prep Retreat (English)

Saturday, April 13, 2024 | 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Skylight Room (8134 Blanco Rd., San Antonio, TX 78216 – Directions)
Contact: Letty Spain


UNITAS Marriage Prep Retreat (Spanish)

Saturday, May 4, 2024 | 9:00 AM-5:00 PM
Little Flower Basilica (907 Kentucky Ave. San Antonio, TX 78201 – Directions)
Contact: Yolanda Vargas


Marriage Preparation Weekend Retreat (English)

June 21-23, 2024
Friday: 6:30-9:00 PM; Saturday: 9:00 AM-12:00 PM; Sunday: 4:00-6:30 PM
Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church (223 E Summit Ave, SATX 78212 – Directions)
Facilitators: Deacon George Wunderlich and Irene Wunderlich


Encuentro Matrimonial  (Spanish)

Friday, July 13-15, 2024 | 7:00 PM
Drury Plaza Hotel (95 NE Interstate 410 Loop, San Antonio, TX 78216 – Directions)
Contact: Elda Salas


UNITAS Marriage Prep Retreat (Spanish)

Saturday, July 13, 2024 | 9:00 AM-5:00 PM
Little Flower Basilica (907 Kentucky Ave. San Antonio, TX 78201 – Directions)
Contact: Yolanda Vargas


Holy Spirit Marriage Prep Retreat (English)

Saturday, July 20, 2024 | 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Skylight Room (8134 Blanco Rd., San Antonio, TX 78216 – Directions)
Contact: Letty Spain


St. Peter the Apostle-Boerne Marriage Prep Retreat

August 16 -17, 2024
Fridays 6:30 PM-9:00 PM; Saturdays 8:30 AM-5:30 PM (Vigil Mass)
St. Peter the Apostle-BoerneĀ (202 W. Kronkosky St., Boerne, TX 78006Ā –Ā Directions)
Contact:Ā Lacey Sorrell


UNITAS Marriage Prep Retreat (English)

Saturday, September 7, 2024 | 9:00 AM-5:00 PM
Little Flower Basilica (907 Kentucky Ave. San Antonio, TX 78201 – Directions)
Contact: Yolanda Vargas


Encuentro Matrimonial  (Spanish)

Friday, October 12-14, 2024 | 7:00 PM
Drury Plaza Hotel (95 NE Interstate 410 Loop, San Antonio, TX 78216 – Directions)
Contact: Elda Salas


Holy Spirit Marriage Prep Retreat (English)

Saturday, October 19, 2024 | 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Skylight Room (8134 Blanco Rd., San Antonio, TX 78216 – Directions)
Contact: Letty Spain


Holy Spirit Marriage Prep Retreat (English)

October 25-27, 2024
Friday: 6:30-9:00 PM; Saturday: 9:00 AM-12:00 PM; Sunday: 4:00-6:30 PM
Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church (223 E Summit Ave, SATX 78212 – Directions)
Facilitators: Deacon George Wunderlich and Irene Wunderlich


UNITAS Marriage Prep Retreat (English)

Saturday, November 16, 2024 | 9:00 AM-5:00 PM
Little Flower Basilica (907 Kentucky Ave. San Antonio, TX 78201 – Directions)
Contact: Yolanda Vargas


Attention priests, deacons, and marriage preparation ministers:

Click here for resources and programs to help you as you walk with couples in the marriage preparation process.

Marriage Preparation ResourcesMarriage Preparation Resources from For Your Marriage

Questions or Comments?

Barry Schoedel
Director for Family Evangelization & Faith Formation