Marriage Ministry

Contact Information

Call Jack Berkemeyer at 312.798.2386 or email him at JackB@oldstpats.org.
Call Patty Stiles at 847.220.3011 or email her at pstiles224@comcast.net.

Old St. Pat’s PreCana Program for Couples Being Married at Old St. Patrick’s and Church Members Married Elsewhere
Congratulations on your future wedding!
We would like to invite you to participate in our Old St. Pat’s  PreCana program that was created by two of our staff members: Terry Nelson-Johnson, Director of Adult Faith Formation, and Jack Berkemeyer, Marriage Ministry Director.

This program reflects Old St. Pat’s investment in your relationship and marriage. We are committed to support you before you get married, the day you walk down the aisle, and throughout your marriage.

Our program meets on three consecutive Sunday afternoons, from 2 – 4:45 p.m. Two topics are addressed each Sunday. Each topic is divided into three parts:

1. A brief overview by Jack or Terry.
2. An Old St. Pat’s married couple sharing their experience as it relates to the topic.
3. One-on-one time for each engaged couple to discuss how that topic affects their relationship. You will never be pressured to speak in front of the group.

We have received extraordinarily positive feedback from couples, and are very confident you will both enjoy, and greatly benefit from this program.

After each meeting, you are welcome to join us for 5 p.m. Mass in the church. On the third week, we host a dinner for all participating couples as a way to celebrate our time together.

The 2012 programs are scheduled from 2 – 4:45 p.m. as follows:

• Sunday: August 5, August 12, August 19; 
• Sunday: November 4, November 11, November 18;
• Sunday: February 10, 17, 24, 2013.

As a part of PreCana, we ask our couples to take a pre-marriage inventory, the Catholic Couple Checkup (CCC), online. CCC is not only a great conversation-starter that encourages couple communication, but also a valuable feedback tool relating to your relationship. After you both complete the CCC, we will schedule a conversation to discuss the results.

The suggested bundled PreCana donation is $275, payable at the start of the program. The donation includes: more than eight hours of PreCana programming, printed materials, refreshments during the program, a catered dinner after our last meeting, and the CCC follow-up meeting. There is a separate $30 registration fee when you sign-up online for the CCC.

Please know if the suggested donations are a hardship, you can request scholarship assistance. Our priority is your presence and participation. We would be honored to have you join us.

If you have questions or concerns, please contact Patty Stiles at 847.220.3011, or pstiles224@comcast.net.