Pre Cana Tomorrow-UPDATE

aghouston86

Hi ladies, I don't usually post here much ( mostly lurk ) but I thought I would hop over here and share that FI and I, as well as another knottie from my month board and her FI, will be doing our marriage prep tomorrow.  We are all getting married November 5th, at the same time ( literally our ceremonies will be at the same exact time lol) but different parishes! I'm excited, and interested to see how everything goes, and can't wait for the overall experience, and glad that we have another coupple to share it with. Looking forward to being able to share afterwards with you ladies as well!

bibliophile2010

We look forward to the report! Have fun!

How neat to have a knottie who is sharing the experiences so literally with you. Did you know her before this irl?

aghouston86

Update:

So the whole experience was great. There were a few things I was disappointed in as far as the explanations, or lack there of, when it comes to the churches teaching on something. Specifically NFP. they didn't really go into the fact that if you are not practicing NFP, or aren't abstaining during your marriage, and you are using some other form of bc, than you are not in communion with the church, can't receive communion, etc., etc. Not that people are ignorant and don't know these things, but unfortunately a lot of people really are. I think it would have done a lot of good to have that extra little detail in there, because I feel that a lot of Catholics are worried about the pre-marital sex stuff, but don't really think about the post marital sex stuff.

There was this one really emotional activity that they did at the end, where each couple had to face one another, hold hands, and while doing so, think about all the things ahead in life and in marriage. The up's, the down's, and everything in between. It would take me too much time to write it all out, but I got choked up and teary eyed during the whole thing.

Overall I thought the experience was great!

@bibliophile I met the other knottie from our month board. We have hung out several times, and are becoming great friends. We actually live like 10 min. away from eachother lol. So ya, it was great knowing another couple and having them there to share the experience with.

professorscience

I have noticed a lot of "skimming" over the topic of NFP as well, and it really frustrates me.  FI and I went to an NFP class at a different parish, and the first hour of it was just the lady "selling" NFP (and looking really uncomfortable).  Then everyone except us left!  Apparently that parish requires the "intro" class for couples looking to marry, but nothing else!  And we didn't learn ANYTHING in the intro class!  I couldn't believe they'd take such a nonchalant approach.  No wonder people blow it off.

I'm glad you had a good time otherwise!

bibliophile2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_catholic-weddings_pre-cana-tomorrow?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:615Discussion:eaf067cb-923a-4bd3-a18c-2c74a93c7be7Post:78ed06b5-3b8e-46c2-aee4-0ef05da6e1f7">Re: Pre Cana Tomorrow-UPDATE</a>:
[QUOTE]I have noticed a lot of "skimming" over the topic of NFP as well, and it really frustrates me.  FI and I went to an NFP class at a different parish, and the first hour of it was just the lady "selling" NFP (and looking really uncomfortable).  Then everyone except us left!  Apparently that parish requires the "intro" class for couples looking to marry, but nothing else!  And we didn't learn ANYTHING in the intro class!  I couldn't believe they'd take such a nonchalant approach.  No wonder people blow it off. I'm glad you had a good time otherwise!
Posted by professorscience[/QUOTE]

My diocese recently "upped" the requirement from an intro class to a full course of NFP for this very reason. It clearly isn't enough to expose people to it. It is hoped that it will have the effect of getting more people to actually believe in it and trust in it when they have had to chart for 3 months to even get married!

Iluvev85

Yep Biblio is right! We're currently goin through the NFP courses. There are 4 classes each lasting 2hrs long. At the end of each class we've had to have a 1 on 1 with the instructors to make sure were charting correctly. It's been very helpful!!

bibliophile2010

Llueve -- based on your description, I'm guessing you're doing ST. Are you going through a parish? If so, can I ask which one? I'm just curious, and I know that it isn't necessarily your home parish, so I hope it isn't asking too much personal info!

lalaith50

I'm a huge fan of more churches requiring the full NFP class!

*However*, when FI and I took it, while our parish requires it to get married, you could see the relief from the teaching couple when we told them that we also *wanted* to, as did the other couple in the class!

(Good as it would be, I can't imagine it would be even remotely enjoyable for them to teach a class that had people in it who didn't want to be there, and if they were on BC, then I'm skeptical that they could learn enough about their own bodies to make them *want* do more with it.)

I mean, I am all in favor of dioceses requiring it, I'm just saying I would feel bad for all the teaching couples! lol!

Iluvev85

Hi Biblio! Were Actually taking classes at St. Josephs Hospital. And yes it is the ST method.