Online Catholic Marriage Preparation, Pre-Cana, and Natural Family Planning

Prepare for a faithful, lifelong Catholic marriage through a comprehensive, self-paced online program covering the sacramental, spiritual, moral, and practical foundations of married life. The CatechismClass.com Marriage Preparation Program combines Catholic Pre-Cana formation with instruction on Natural Family Planning, contraception, responsible parenthood, and the sanctity of human life.

This program is designed primarily for engaged couples preparing to receive the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony. It may also benefit couples preparing to convalidate an existing civil marriage, married couples renewing their understanding of the Sacrament, and parish leaders seeking a faithful and affordable marriage-preparation resource.

Who Is This Program For?

  • Engaged Catholic couples preparing to receive the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony.
  • Couples preparing for convalidation so that their marriage may be recognized by the Catholic Church.
  • Couples seeking online Pre-Cana and NFP instruction that can be completed around work, travel, and family responsibilities.
  • Married couples seeking to understand more deeply the sacramental reality, duties, and blessings of Catholic marriage.
  • Priests, deacons, and parish marriage coordinators seeking a structured online resource for the couples they serve.

Course Highlights

  1. Faithful Catholic formation: The program presents marriage as a Sacrament instituted by God—not merely a civil contract or social arrangement.
  2. Pre-Cana and NFP instruction together: Couples study Catholic marriage, responsible parenthood, Natural Family Planning, the evils of artificial contraception, and the sanctity of human life in one affordable program.
  3. Theological and practical preparation: The course addresses both the doctrines underlying Holy Matrimony and the practical decisions couples will face concerning prayer, children, finances, careers, communication, and conflict.
  4. Self-paced online learning: Complete the reading, videos, activities, and quizzes on your own schedule with 24/7 online access.
  5. Reasonable time commitment: Couples should plan to spend approximately 4–5 hours studying and completing the course material.
  6. Individual certificates: Each participant who enrolls separately, completes the course, and follows the certificate-request process may receive a Certificate of Completion in his or her own name.
  7. Optional personal support: Personalized mentoring and correspondence with Certified Catechists are available for students seeking additional guidance.

What You Will Learn

  1. Why Holy Matrimony is a Sacrament and not merely a civil ceremony.
  2. The purposes and essential properties of Catholic marriage.
  3. Why a valid sacramental marriage is an indissoluble and lifelong covenant.
  4. The three blessings of marriage: offspring, fidelity, and the sacramental bond.
  5. The mutual duties of husbands and wives and the sacrifices proper to married life.
  6. What to expect during the Catholic Rite of Matrimony through a step-by-step review.
  7. Why Catholics should marry according to the laws and rites of the Church.
  8. How faith, prayer, and the Sacraments strengthen married and family life.
  9. How couples can discuss communication, conflict resolution, career decisions, finances, children, and family goals.
  10. Why artificial contraception is contrary to the purposes of marriage.
  11. What Natural Family Planning is and how it differs morally from artificial contraception.
  12. Why abortion is always gravely wrong and how the acceptance of contraception contributes to attacks against human life.

Preparation for Life After the Wedding

Catholic marriage preparation should do more than explain the wedding ceremony. This program encourages couples to discuss the decisions and responsibilities that will shape their married life, including communication, finances, career choices, children, family goals, conflict resolution, and the practice of the Catholic Faith within the home.

Couples will be invited to reflect upon and discuss these matters together so that they enter marriage with a clearer understanding of their commitments to God and to one another.

Grounded in Catholic Teaching

The course draws upon Sacred Scripture, Catholic catechisms, approved Catholic commentary, and the writings of the Popes. It also incorporates material from Marriage in the Heart and Mind of the Church by Preston E. Wiggins, who has assisted couples in marriage preparation for more than a decade, along with pro-life material written by Marie Gallagher of the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation.

Preparing for a Catholic Marriage

Because Holy Matrimony is a Sacrament and a lifelong covenant, Catholics should approach it properly formed and spiritually prepared. Catholics preparing for marriage should have received Baptism, Confession, Holy Communion, and Confirmation. Both parties should embrace the Catholic Faith and understand their duty to establish a truly Catholic home and raise their children in the Church.

This online course provides the educational component of marriage preparation. Couples should also remain in contact with the priest, deacon, or parish marriage coordinator overseeing their preparation and complete any additional parish or diocesan requirements.

Certificate of Completion

Students who successfully complete the program may request a Certificate of Completion for Marriage Preparation, Pre-Cana, and Natural Family Planning.

Each participant must register individually and purchase and complete a separate copy of the course in order to receive a certificate in his or her own name. Completing the course, paying the applicable certificate fee, and submitting the official certificate-request form are separate required steps. Expedited certificate preparation is available for an additional fee when needed.

Marriage Preparation Program contains the following lessons: