Invite Leader Couples. Recruit married couples with the qualities necessary for partnership with clergy. Select couples from varying age groups and lengths of marriages. Interfaith couples that are active in parish life also may be good choices.

Train Your Team. Register couples for training by the Archdiocese. Besides training, leaders’ guides, couples’ workbooks, tapes, and other resources are available. Parishes are not limited to a particular book or series, and are encouraged to tailor their program to their local needs. Choose a coordinator couple to manage the program. Provide on-going formation.

Design a parish program that meets your local needs.

One-on-One (Sponsor Couple and Remarriage Couple)

A married couple meets in their home with the engaged couple to facilitate their preparation.

• The sponsors receive training from the Archdiocese, help the couple address their relevant issues, and follow an effective approved curriculum of instruction in Catholic teaching. FOCCUS pre-marriage inventory is included in all models.
• The couples meet about 5 times (6 times for Remarriage), for about 1½ hours.
• Remarrying couples use study materials specific to their situation, and their sponsors receive additional training.

Small Group (Sponsor Couple and Remarriage Couple)
A married couple gathers two or three couples in their home for the above process, encouraging engaged couple interaction. Private time for discussing FOCCUS reports can be arranged.

Large Group / Sponsor Couple – Parish-Based / Regional
Some parishes – alone or in concert with neighboring parishes – may host larger (about 15 couples) gatherings at one parish site. Presentations may be made by the parish team or with an approved videotape series, and the FOCCUS is administered to all. Each engaged couple is assigned a sponsor couple that meets with them several more times to facilitate their communication and reflection on their key issues.

Large Group (Pre-Cana Conference -- Parish-Based / Regional
Parishes may decide to offer a conference for all engaged couples. Usually programs will be two to four sessions for 8-10 hours total, once or twice annually. Each team couple makes a short presentation on a topic from the curriculum. Arrange small groups at tables, each with a leader couple, and make ample time for private sharing and refection. One-on-one mentoring time could be provided for FOCCUS.