By Voice staff

Engaged couples in the Oakland Diocese have several marriage preparation options to choose from, offered by the diocesan Family Life Office. These include weekend retreats, commuter weekends and one-day sessions.

Whichever they choose, however, each couple will receive similar information on developing communication skills, dealing with expectations, understanding the permanence of the marriage commitment, becoming a family in the modern world, sexuality, God in a marriage, and enrichment opportunities.

Weekend choices include Catholic Engaged Encounter Sessions and Preparation and Reflection for Engaged Partners (P.R.E.P.). The P.R.E.P. format offers more group dynamics than Engaged Encounter sessions.

Both types of weekends, led by a trained team, are held at San Damiano Retreat Center in Danville and begin at 7 p.m. on Friday night and conclude with Mass at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday. The couples are required to stay the entire weekend. Cost is $425 per couple.

The two-day P.R.E.P. commuter weekend format is offered at two locations — Good Shepherd Church in Pittsburg and Bethany House in Concord. Cost is $225 per couple.

Besides the basic marriage preparation courses for engaged couples, the diocese, through its department of evangelization and catechesis, also has classes for couples who are in civil marriages and want to be married in the Church and for individuals considering remarriage after the death of a spouse or a Church-granted annulment.

One-day convalidation programs for those couples who are married civilly and now wish to marry in the Church are held at Bethany House in Concord. Cost is $125 per couple.

One day sessions offering information on remarriage are also offered at Bethany House, but all available registrations are currently filled.

To find out additional information and to register on line, go to the Family Life Office web site at www.oakflo.com/marriage_prep.html. Or call (510) 893-4711 and ask for marriage preparation.

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