Tomorrow, May 3, we'll host a Pre-Cana session for engaged couples preparing for marriage. It's an all-day affair here at St. Anselm, with up to 40 couples taking part. Our Pre-Cana team is made up of several married couples from the parish who each take a leadership role in presenting on different topics: communication skills, finances, in-laws, the gift of children, Natural Family Planning, and yours truly does a brief presentation on Christian Conscience.
The best part of the day is the end: We invite the couples to join us for the 5:30 p.m. Liturgy, in which we spotlight their presence as couples preparing for the sacrament of Matrimony. We bless their engagement rings, we offer the blessing for engaged couples, and most importantly, we ask the entire congregation to pray for the couples. Then, for the final blessing, I invite all of the married people to stand with me and extend their hands in blessing over the couples.
I'm never surprised to see some tears at this celebration.
For some of the couples, this is their "re-entry" into the active life of the church. We usually get some of the couples to register as new members of the parish, because of the great hospitality of the parish throughout the whole day.
If you would like to volunteer to become a part of the Pre-Cana experience, just shoot me an email, or see me after any of the Masses on a weekend.
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