Preparing for Holy Matrimony
A fifteen-lesson course in Catholic marriage preparation, grounded in Pope Pius XI’s encyclical Casti Connubii — covering theology, psychology, law, and practical married life.
About the Course
The Course in Preparation for Marriage
This course was organized by the Catholic Centre of the University of Ottawa in cooperation with the Young Christian Workers (YCW) movement. In 1938, the YCW studied Pope Pius XI’s encyclical Casti Connubii on Christian marriage, discovering how profoundly the working class was being influenced by modern paganism and materialism.
The lessons were written by specialists in spiritual matters, in law, in psychology, in biology, and in medicine — shunning the sensational which seeks to provoke the passions, placing the various elements of married life in their proper perspective, and providing pure, sound direction and training for happiness in marriage.
Pope Pius XI wrote in Casti Connubii: “It is of the utmost importance that the faithful should be well instructed concerning matrimony — not cursorily but often and fully, by means of plain and weighty arguments, so that these truths will strike the intellect and will be deeply engraved on their hearts.”
The course covers fifteen subjects and is designed to be taken during courtship and engagement: the religious, moral, medical, psychological, economic, social, and legal aspects of marriage. It is organized around both discussion groups and correspondence study, and is accompanied by retreats specifically designed to prepare couples for marriage.
The Full Course
Fifteen Lessons — Complete Outline
The Present Situation — The Remedy
What young people think of marriage. The Christian ideal of marriage. How to prepare.
The Ideal Husband — The Ideal Wife
The qualities to look for in your future partner. Defects to be avoided. The correction of faults.
Love and Happiness in Marriage
Love. Its elements. True love and sham love. True happiness in marriage. Differences in conjugal love.
Courtship and Engagement
The nature, purpose, qualities, place of courtship. Subjects to discuss. Engagements.
Masculine and Feminine Psychology
For men: how to understand women; for women: how to understand men. Man's vocation; woman's vocation.
Economic Preparation
Management of the home. Economic organization of family life. The budget. Revenues, expenditures.
The Spirituality of Marriage
The vocation. The Sacrament. The purposes and qualities of marriage. God's call within marriage. The sacramental grace.
Church Law Concerning Marriage
Prenuptial inquiry. Impediments to marriage. Publication of the banns. Conditions required for validity.
Civil Law Concerning Marriage
Legal formalities. Impediments. Nuptial agreement. Annulment, separation, divorce. Last will and testament.
The Marriage Ceremony
Liturgical explanation. Events before and after the ceremony. The wedding outfit. Reception. Honeymoon.
Marital Relations, Pregnancy, Birth, Nursing
The mystery of the transmission of life. Practical instructions.
Hygiene in Marriage
General and sexual hygiene. Practice of individual sex hygiene. Necessity of conjugal hygiene.
What Is Allowed — What Is Forbidden
The moral aspect. Continence. Birth Control. Planned Parenthood. The Rhythm System.
The First Months of Marriage
The first relations. Physical, intellectual, moral adaptation. The Child. Summing up.
Final Preparation
Last Lessons Before the Wedding
Additional materials are provided for the final month before the wedding — including lessons on the wedding ceremony, the honeymoon, and beginning married life. These materials are to be read only in the last month before the wedding. One lesson addresses honeymoon planning and the first weeks of married life.
LAST LESSONS — ARCHIVED SITEDownloadable Resources
Pre-Marriage PDFs
Archived Course Sites
Catholic Marriage & Family
Full 15-lesson course with intro, quizzes, catechism summary, and supporting pages for engaged couples.
Archived Google SiteOPEN LESSONS INTROHoly Catholic Marriage
9-lesson and 15-lesson courses with PDFs, quizzes, and pre-Vatican II marriage preparation materials.
Archived Google SiteOPEN SITE“It is not good for man to be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”