engaged encounters vs. marriage prep class

unplainjane

what is the difference between engaged encounters and marriage prepartion class? we haven't signed up yet but our priest told us we need to take a marriage prepartion class and gave us the numbers to call to sign up. but i've been researching and keep coming across the engaged encounters classes. are they the same thing? if they are not do i need to do both?

vgmartinez

I think it's the same thing, especially if your priest gave you the info to call and sign up. Our priest called it marriage prep class as well, not engaed encounter.

agapecarrie

There are several types of preparation methods one can use.... sometimes the priest requires more than one.

Engaged encounter is a weekend retreat together, marriage prep classes are sometimes taught by the priest, or by a couple to a class, and they may use the diocesan program or other program. Also, a sponsor couple may also be used.

Usually, the same kind of stuff is covered in each option, and your choice is based on convenience and time. You have to use the option your priest asks you to, unless there is huge burden of some kind and which you can try to find a mutually agreeable alternative.

[Deleted User]

Ditto agapecarrie. It all depends on what your priest/dioceses requires. For instance, we live out of state but are getting married back home. Well, our priest at home requires the EE weekend, so we had to meet his  requirement even though we wouldn't have needed it to be married where we currently live. In between that, we met a half a dozen times with the priest, questions, took the FOCCUS test and got all of the paperwork (baptismal certificates, etc) together.

Bottom line, I would just be sure in what your priest wants before you registered for the EE weekend. A tip: the EE weekends fill up fast (unless you live in a tiny city or something) so make sure you allow enough time before your marriage to get it complete if you have to do it.

wifeandmommy0609

we are doing Marrage preparation classes.

Prep Step 1: Theology component: 2 options to choice from: We got this one done Feb 2010!

Prep step 2: Natural Family Planning 3 choices here:

Prep step 3: Life-Skill Component : 4 choices here: we picked the weekend retreat since we picked the retreat we don't have to do the FOCCUS test! THis one will be done at the end of this month!


More info at: (this is for Denver, CO area)

http://www.archden.org/index.cfm/ID/176/Marriage-Preparation-Information/

Alyssa0421

If you have the choice, think about which one you'd rather do. Where we live, the marriage prep classes were one night/week for several weeks and were more lecture-style. We chose to do an Engaged Encounter weekend (just google Engaged Encounter, there is a national website with links to local sites) and it was awesome. It was all day Saturday and Sunday and we stayed overnight. There were 2 lead couples and our priest there, and the format was all about giving you time to talk as a couple. You listed to the leaders talk on a subject, wrote to each other in notebooks based on a list of questions, exchanged writings in private and discussed. This was repeated throughout both days. It was intense but I would highly recommend it.