Marriage Preparation (pre-Cana)
Information for Engaged Couples at St. Thomas of Villanova

Congratulations on your engagement and upcoming marriage!  The St. Thomas of Villanova parish community is blessed and happy to accompany you on this exciting journey toward sacramental marriage in the Catholic Church.  A marriage preparation class (also known as “pre-Cana”) is required of all couples being married at St. Thomas and within the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. It is called “pre-Cana” because the first miracle that Jesus performed in the Gospels was at a wedding feast in the town of Cana!  Please rest assured that we are a welcoming parish who understands that individuals and couples often have diverse faith backgrounds and religious experiences.  We invite you to lean into your pre-Cana journey and remember that “wedding preparation is for a day, but marriage preparation is for a lifetime!”.
(Note: The following overview is provided for couples who are (or whose family are) parishioners at St. Thomas of Villanova.  Villanova alumni and other non-parish couples should generally plan to complete pre-Cana requirements through their home parish.  Alumni should contact Patty Greenhalgh [email protected]  for further information about their specific pre-Cana requirements and alternatives.
Overview of the Parish pre-Cana Process:  Our pre-Cana process integrates an online, on-demand class with an in-person mentoring experience.
  1. After becoming engaged, you should register for a wedding date with the parish ([email protected]) and communicate with the priest or deacon who will be presiding at your marriage celebration.  The presiding priest or deacon is responsible for ensuring that all canonical requirements for a valid sacramental marriage have been satisfied.  It is helpful to keep in mind that wedding day preparation, liturgy preparation (including music), canonical requirements, and pre-Cana class are all separate processes you will be involved with as you prepare for marriage.
  2. After you have registered and communicated with your presiding priest/deacon, you should communicate with our parish pre-Cana program coordinators, Deacon Don and Denise DiCarlo at [email protected] or [email protected], who will guide you through the process summarized below.
  3. First, you will complete an online and on-demand, self-paced, marriage preparation class.  The class takes about 8 hours to complete, but does not need to be done in one setting.  A payment voucher will be provided to you as the cost of the class has already been included in your parish wedding registration fee.  For more information about the online class, please click this link. Living Our Faith in Love - Online pre-Cana - The Marriage Group
  4. Upon completion of the online class, you will meet with Deacon Don and Denise DiCarlo for dinner and discussion at their home. 
  5. You may be asked to review other resources (see below) and complete a  a marriage-prep “inventory”.  An inventory is a detailed questionnaire designed to facilitate meaningful conversations between engaged couples while identifying relationship strengths and highlighting opportunities for growth. 
  6. Following your meeting with Deacon Don and Denise, you will be introduced to your parish mentor couple, who will be eager to accompany you as you approach your big day and through your first year of marriage.  Our mentor couple experience is designed to be customized, relaxed, and informal.  The goal of the mentor couple is to provide you with practical advice and spiritual support during that first critical year of marriage. 
The Nuptial Blessing
Additional Resources:
Catholic Prayers Practices
Catholic Faith Refresher:  C4 - Ignite Your Catholic Faith Series - YouTube
Dynamic Catholic Better Together: The Best Catholic Marriage Preparation | BETTER TOGETHER (dynamiccatholic.com)
Archdiocese of Philadelphia pre-Cana information: Preparing for Marriage – Office for Life and Family (phillycatholiclife.org)
FAQ about Catholic Marriage: Frequently Asked Questions by Engaged Couples - For Your Marriage
Natural Family Planning: NFP, the Theology of the Body, and Our Marriage - For Your Marriage; What is NFP | Fertility Awareness Classes | Couple to Couple League International (ccli.org)
Planning a Catholic Wedding: Planning a Catholic Wedding - For Your Marriage
Spiritual Preparation: Engaged Couples Spiritual Checklist | Catholic-Link.org
Confession Guides for Engaged Couples: How To Go To Confession - For Your Marriage; Resources for Individuals | USCCB; Bulletin Layout 3.indd (usccb.org)
Convalidation of your civil marriage: Convalidation: Bringing Your Marriage Into The Church - For Your Marriage
For more information, please contact Deacon Don DiCarlo