What is the Pre-Cana Seminar?
A Formation Program for Engaged Couples Preparing for the Sacrament of Matrimony.
Program Rationale
Marriage is a sacrament and a vocation. Couples preparing for matrimony must be spiritually grounded and practically equipped to form families that live as domestic churches and missionary disciples.
This program contributes to RCAM’s Traslacion Journey by directly supporting key Traslacion Strategic Objectives that strengthen families, deepen faith, and integrate couples into the life and mission of the Church.
Program Objectives:
Deepen Understanding of Catholic Marriage and Family Life
Explore the sacramental meaning of marriage and the vocation of family as a domestic church. Couples are guided through Catholic teachings that affirm the dignity of life, the sanctity of union, and the mission of married love.
Equip Couples with Essential Life Skills
Strengthen relationships through practical formation in communication, conflict resolution, financial stewardship, and responsible parenthood. These skills help couples build a stable, loving, and mission-ready family life.
Prepare couples to live as missionary disciples in their parish
Marriage is a call to serve. Couples are formed to witness their faith in daily life, participate in parish ministries, and become active members of the Church’s mission through their vocation as husband and wife.
Sustain Pastoral Accompaniment Before and After the Wedding
Support doesn’t end at the wedding. Through mentoring, retreats, and post-Cana formation, couples receive ongoing spiritual and pastoral care to help them grow in faith and family life.
Train Parish-Based Facilitators to Ensure Continuity and Support
Build a network of trained lay couples who can lead Pre-Cana seminars in their parishes. This ensures consistent formation, shared mission, and long-term sustainability of the program across RCAM.
Target Participants
- Engaged couples endorsed by the parish priest or parish office preparing for matrimony
- Parish lay couples (Family and Life volunteers) nominated as future facilitators (for Training of Trainers)
- Format: 1–2 full days OR 4–6 half-day sessions.
Traslacion Strategic Objectives Supported
The Pre-Cana Program supports the following RCAM Traslacion Strategic Objectives (TSOs):
TSO 1: Strengthen Integral Faith Formation
→ Couples are catechized in the theology of marriage and family, integrating prayer and faith into married life.
TSO 4: Promote and Defend Life, Marriage, and Family
→ Couples are formed to value the sanctity of life, openness to children, and the vocation of family as a domestic church.
TSO 7: Deepen Synodality and Accompaniment
→ Pre-Cana ensures engaged couples are guided before the wedding and accompanied afterward through the Post Cana Program.
TSO 9: Stewardship of Resources
→ Pre-Cana program includes responsible stewardship in finances, parenting, and use of time and talents for family and parish life.
TSO 11: Form Missionary Disciples
→ Couples are called to witness their faith as missionary families, actively participating in the life and mission of the parish.
What You'll Learn
The seminar includes six core modules:
Personhood
Understanding Christian Marriage
The Nature of Man And Woman
Husband and Wife Relationships
Unions in Marriage
Communication
Stages of Love in Marriage
Effective Communications
Fruitful Love
Parenting and Responsible Parenthood
Methods of NFP and Evils of Contraception
Community
The Family, Vital Cell of Society
The Family, A Domestic Church
Christian Marriage
The Marriage Rite Proper
The Meaning of the Marriage Symbols
Prayers and Sacramental Life
Spirituality of Communion
Christian Formation and Ongoing Pastoral Support
Parish Resources & Estimated Costs
- Audio-Visual Equipment ₱0 (if owned) or ₱2,000 rental Projector, sound system, microphones
- Training Materials ₱150–₱200 per couple Handouts, worksheets, Bibles
-
Food & Refreshments
₱250–₱300 per person
Snacks/lunch
-
Certificates
₱50 per couple
Printing & parish seal -
Liturgical Supplies
₱500–₱1,000
For prayer & Eucharist
-
Facilitator Honoraria
₱2,000–₱5,000
External speakers (if needed)
-
Admin Supplies
₱300-₱500
Registration, photocopying, etc. - Estimated Total Cost per Batch: ₱10,000–₱20,000
(offset by ₱1,000–₱1,500 per couple registration fee if parish chooses)
Training of Pre-Cana Seminar Speakers (TOT)
Objectives:
Equip parish couples (Family and Life Volunteers) to facilitate future Pre-Cana Seminar.
Ensure sustainability and uniformity of program content across RCAM.
Content:
Theology of Marriage
Exploring the sacred covenant and spiritual foundations of marital life.
Dignity of Human Life
Affirming the value and sanctity of life from conception to natural death.
Mentoring & Psycho-Spiritual Accompaniment
Guiding others through compassionate, faith-informed support.
Workshop Facilitation & Implementation
Equipping leaders to plan, lead, and evaluate impactful workshops.
Human Sexuality
Understanding sexuality through moral, psychological, and theological lenses.
Responsible Parenthood
Promoting family planning rooted in love, responsibility, and faith.
Evils of Contraception and Abortion
Examining moral concerns and pastoral responses to life-related issues.
Duration: 2 days (weekend) OR 4 half-day sessions.
Requirements: 2–3 married couples per parish endorsed by parish priest.
Role of the RCAM Family Life Ministry
(Program Proponent)
Provide official Pre-Cana curriculum
& module guides.
Conduct TOT sessions for parish couples,
(Family and Life volunteers)
Supply templates, handouts,
evaluation tools.
Offer coaching and accompaniment during first parish implementations.
Facilitate vicariate-level peer mentoring for sustainability.
Accompaniment Activities
Before Wedding
Mentor couple program
Retreats or recollections
After Wedding
Post-Cana formation for newlyweds
Parenting & family enrichment programs
Couple faith-sharing groups
Involvement in parish ministries
Expected Outcomes
The program seeks to form engaged couples, strengthen parish ministries, and build a network of trained facilitators—empowering families to live out their vocation and contribute meaningfully to RCAM’s Traslacion goals.
If your parish is interested in participating or hosting this initiative, kindly coordinate with CFL Manila for guidance and scheduling.