Pre Cana

Pre Cana is a one-day marriage preparation class offered by the Office of Family Life. It follows a structured schedule and is presented to groups of engaged couples. It is designed to supplement, not to replace, the less structured, personal meetings that each couple should also have with the priest or deacon who is assisting them to prepare for the Sacrament of Matrimony.

  • Father Jhon Guarnizo, pastor of Blessed Trinity Parish in Jacksonville offers instructions to newly-engaged couples. (Photo by St. Augustine Catholic/Woody Huband)
  • Mike Day, Director of Family Life for the Diocese of St. Augustine, addresses couples during a Pre Cana event at St. Matthew Parish in Jacksonville in 2018. (Photo by St. Augustine Catholic/Woody Huband)

The program utilizes the Unveiled program (www.unveiledmarriage.com) and provides both an overview of God’s design for joy in marriage and practical skills for bringing it about. Opportunities are provided for each couple to reflect and discuss privately the topics raised during the day.

Presentations cover such topics as:

  • Sacrament of Marriage
  • Communication and Conflict
  • Decision Making
  • Fertility and a Catholic Perspective on Sexuality
  • Stewardship
  • Married Spirituality
  • Christian Stewardship

The class is always on a Saturday. Please arrive between 9:00 to 9:20 a.m. for registration. Please try to arrive on time, as the first presentation will begin promptly at 9:30 a.m. The program will end by 5:30 p.m.

The cost of the class is $125. This fee includes materials and lunch.

Registration for Pre Cana closes at 4:00 p.m. the Monday prior to each session.

A listing of available courses in Spanish and a link to register can be found on the Spanish Pre Cana page: family.dosafl.com/spanish-pre-cana. If you need to attend the course in Spanish, please do not register through the English form.

    2023 Dates

    Virtual Sessions

    Virtual Sessions of Pre Cana follow the same one-day format and schedule but are conducted via Zoom.

    • May 20, 2023
    • December 9, 2023
    Jacksonville Deanery

    The following dates are at Marywood Retreat Center, Jacksonville

    • January 14, 2023
    • August 12, 2023
    Gainesville Deanery

    The following dates are at Holy Faith Catholic Church, Gainesville

    • March 4, 2023
    St. Augustine Deanery

    The following dates are at St. Anastasia Catholic Church, St. Augustine

    • October 7, 2023
    Click to Register