Marriage Preparation Schedule 2010 Office of Family Life Ministries 900 S. Woodward Street Allentown, PA  18103 Directions available upon request Marriage Preparation Dialogues CANA II Engaged Encounter Weekend 2010 Schedule Marriage Preparation Dialogues (All programs last approximately 21/2 hrs. except as noted) A Marriage Preparation Dialogue (MPD) program centers on some of the topics essential to marriage preparation.  These include: Effective Communication, Sexuality, Natural Family Planning, Finance, Potential Problems and Spirituality A Marriage Preparation Dialogue is an experience-centered learning process.  Brief presentations lead into personal sharing with partners.  Techniques for each couple to improve their own relationship are a major thrust of the programs. Berks County To pre-register call (610) 289-8900 ext. 237 (Call Monday, Wednesday, Thursday 9:00 am—2:00 pm)   Date Location Time January 10,17,24 Holy Guardian Angels, School Library (Reading) Sun. 1:30 pm February 19 &20 St. John Baptist de LaSalle, Lyons Meeting Room (Shillington) Fri. 7:00 pm Sat. 9:00 am-3:00 pm February 28, March 7,14 St Mary, Church Hall, 94 Walnut Road (Hamburg) Sun. 3:00 pm March 7,14,21 Most Blessed Sacrament, Fr. Schneider Hall (Bally) Sun. 2:00 pm May 2,16,23 St. Columbkill, Church Hall (Boyertown) Sun. 6:00 pm July 30 &31 St. Mary, Religious Education Center (Kutztown) Fri. 7:00 pm Sat. 9:00 am-3:00 pm September 7,14,21 St. Ignatius Loyola, Education Center (Sinking Spring) Tues. 7:00 pm October 5,12,19 St. Catharine of Siena, Social Hall (Rt. #562, Exeter Twp.) Tues. 7:00 pm November 7,14,21 Sacred Heart, Gymnasium (West Reading) Sun. 7:00 pm Lehigh / Northampton Counties To pre-register call (610) 289-8900 ext. 238 (Call Monday thru Thursday 9:00 am—3:00 pm) Date Location Time January 10,17,24 Assumption of BVM, Jubilee Center (S. Bethlehem) Sun. 2:00 pm January 15,22,29 St. Jane, Msgr. Gobitas Room (Easton) FOCCUS Inventory administered week prior Jan 8th at 7:00 pm. Allow 1 hour to complete the FOCCUS Fri. 7:00 pm February 21,28, March7 Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Marian Inn (Bethlehem) Sun. 6:00 pm February 26, March 5,12 St. Catharine of Siena, Church Auditorium (Allentown) Fri. 7:15 pm February 28, March 7,14 Notre Dame Parish, Church Auditorium (Bethlehem) * Sun. 6:00 pm March 14,21,28 St. Joseph the Worker, Parish Center (Orefield) Sun. 6:00 pm April 11,18,25 St. Ann, Parish Center (Emmaus) Sun. 5:30 pm April 11,28,25 St. Thomas More,Family Center (Allentown) Sun. 6:30 pm June 11,12 St. Anne, Community Center lower level of school(Bethlehem) Allow 3 hrs. for session #1 Fri. 6:00 pm Sat. 10:00 am-3:00 pm July 16,23,30 St. Jane, Msgr. Gobitas Room (Easton) FOCCUS Inventory administered week prior July 9th at 7:00 pm. Allow 1 hour to complete the FOCCUS Fri. 7:00 pm August 20 & 21 St. Joseph, Parish Center (Limeport) Allow 3 hrs. for session#1 Fri. 6:30 pm Sat. 10:00 am - 3:00 pm September 12,19,26 Assumption of BVM, Jubilee Center (S. Bethlehem) Sun. 6:00 pm September 26, October 3,10 Notre Dame Parish, Church Auditorium (Bethlehem) * Sun. 6:00 pm October 1,8,15 St. Catharine of Siena, Church Auditorium (Allentown) Fri. 7:15 pm October 10,17, 24 St. Thomas More, Family Center (Allentown) Sun. 6:30 pm November 5,12,19 Holy Trinity, Parish Center (Whitehall) Fri. 7:00 pm November 7,14,21 Holy Ghost, Parish Center (Bethlehem) * Sun. 6:00 pm * = Based on Pope John Paul II’s Theology of the Body - The Theology of the Body Marriage Program is designed so the engaged couple may truly embrace the beauty and realities of marriage.  This program allows the couple to explore a deeper understanding of the Sacrament of God’s plan for man and woman in marriage.  The engaged will take time to study the theology of the Sacrament, sexuality, Natural Family Planning as well as opening up communication by allowing the couple to engage in one-on-one discussions based on personal reflections of the material studied. Schuylkill / Carbon Counties To pre-register call (610) 289-8900 ext. 237 (Call Monday, Wednesday, Thursday 9:00 am—2:00 pm)   Allow 3 1/2 hrs for each session.   Date Location Time February 20 & 21 Ss. Peter & Paul, School Hall (Lehighton) Sat. 5:30 pm Sun. 2:00 pm March 6 &7 St. Clare of Assisi, Church Meeting Room (St. Clair) Sat. 5:30 pm Sun. 2:00 pm April 17 & 18 St. Joseph Center for Special Learning (Pottsville) Sat./Sun. 2:00 pm April 23 & 24 St. Ambrose, School Hall (Schuylkill Haven) Fri./Sat. 6:30 pm August 22 & 29 St. John the Baptist, Church Hall (Pottsville) Sun. 6:00 pm October 2 & 3 St. Clare of Assisi, Church Meeting Room (St. Clair) Sat. 5:30 pm Sun. 2:00 pm CANA II The Church wants to assist all engaged couples preparing for sacramental marriage. Especially those relationships involving children where either or both partners have had a prior marriage that ended in divorce and annulment or death of spouse. Cana II is a program geared to the real problems / issues of these engaged. Trained volunteer married couples (who have received annulments) share their insights and learning.  Topics presented are: Communication skill development Resolving issues from previous relationships Becoming a step-parent Living in a blended family Sexuality, Natural Family Planning Creating a couple spirituality Lehigh / Northampton Counties To pre-register call (610) 289-8900 ext. 238 (Call Monday thru Thursday 9:00 am—3:00 pm) Date Location Time March 7,14 Assumption of BVM, Jubilee Center (Bethlehem) Sun. 6:00—9:00 pm June 6,13 Assumption of BVM, Jubilee Center (Bethlehem) Sun. 6:00—9:00 pm November 7,14 Assumption of BVM, Jubilee Center (Bethlehem) Sun. 6:00—9:00 pm Berks County To pre-register call (610) 289-8900 ext. 237 (Call Monday, Wednesday, Thursday 9:00 am—2:00 pm) Date Location Time October 2 St. Mary, Parish Center (Kutztown) Sat. 9:00 am—4:00 pm Engaged Encounter Weekend 2010 Schedule The Engaged Encounter Weekend is designed to give a couple planning marriage the opportunity to dialogue, individually, honestly, and intensively about their prospective lives together (Their strengths and weaknesses, desires, ambitions, goals, their attitudes about money, sex, children, family, their role in the church and society) in a face-to-face way. Through a series of talks, presented by a team of married couples and a priest, the couple is stimulated to dialogue privately with each other on all aspects of married life—always from the viewpoint of their own relationship.  Personal reflection and dialogue are the main thrust of the weekend; meals are communal and Sunday Liturgy is fully participatory.  The Engaged Encounter is specifically designed for communication between the couple and is not focused on group dynamics. Although the Encounter weekend is Catholic in origin and orientation, it is for all couples planning marriage and wanting the best possible start. To Register or For Further Information Call or Write:   Call (610) 289-8900 ext. 238 (Call Monday thru Thursday 9:00 am—3:00 pm) Date Location February 26,27,28 Monocacy Manor, Bethlehem June 11,12,13 Monocacy Manor, Bethlehem August 13,14,15 Monocacy Manor, Bethlehem October 1,2,3 Monocacy Manor, Bethlehem Post Office Box F  •  Allentown, PA  •  18105-1538 Copyright 2003 The Catholic Diocese of Allentown Disclaimer and Terms of Use