Whilst the programme adopts universal lessons and principles concerning marriage and family life, it is anchored by Catholic values that ultimately manifest God’s plan for marriage and how the two spouses, in living out this blessed vocation, can have a lasting and fulfilling relationship.

Like the generic aspects of this programme, the richness of the Catholic Christian theology of marriage can only be proposed, not coerced, for adoption.

Course Outcome:

You will be able to understand and apply the principles of good marriage for the purpose of growing and sustaining a happy and fruitful marriage and family life.

Course Outline:

Marriage and its Influences

Dynamics of Love and Communication

Relationship management

Marriage: God’s plan and Sacrament

Sexuality and Intimacy

Practical Realities of Married Life

The 7 Key Pedagogical Pillars:

1. Comprehensive
   Engaged Couples (ECs) attend 6 sessions that cover a wide range of relevant topics from communication to sexuality to family life. These half-day sessions are progressively structured and paced over 6 weeks to facilitate better assimilation and application.
    
2. Realistic
   Of the 6 sessions, 3 are conducted in small groups at the home of assigned Presenting Couples (PCs), where the lessons are delivered and discussed in a familial setting. Again, the purpose is to facilitate a more effective learning outcome (for the same reason that a medical student learns better in a hospital ward than in a classroom).
    
3. Authentic
   Presenting Couples share their real, personal experiences to illustrate and underscore important points. Real stories make memorable and lifelong lessons.
    
4. Deep
   Workbook contents are also designed to challenge Engaged Couples to ask difficult but necessary questions of themselves and their future spouse. This process of self and couple discovery through a powerful, collaborative journey of honesty often reinforces the relationship, establishes a strong foundation and minimises potential flashpoints.
    
5. Dynamic
   No textbook or course can offer all the answers for a good marriage, simply because life itself is dynamic. That’s where peer learning kicks in. A key feature in MPC is a structured process where couples share their learning points with each other (without going into personal details). The most common marital challenges often draw out the most unique solutions; and the most complex issues can have the simplest answers. The scope that couples actually learn from each other is as dynamic as the diversity of the group.
    
6. Current
   To ensure that it remains relevant, the course contents and discussion points are updated periodically to evolve with the times. But the core values that make MPC a highly effective and realistic programme for more than 30 years remain unchanged.
    
7. Catholic
   The theology that Marriage is God’s plan for humankind, together with Catholic Christian values that help to engender a happy and lasting relationship, will be unpacked and explained.  Whilst the programme adopts universal lessons and principles concerning marriage and family life, it is anchored on Catholic values that ultimately manifest God’s plan for marriage and how the two spouses, in living out this blessed vocation, can rejoice and bear fruit.  Where there are non-Catholic partners, there is no obligation to believe in the Church’s teachings. However, by understanding its principles and supporting your Catholic partner, it can help to advance the purpose of a Catholic marriage, with its joys and fruits.

How does the program work

• Intimate groups sharings facilitate learning
• 4 – 5 hour sessions over 6 weeks
• Learn from other engaged couples who are discerning/preparing for marriage
• Learn from a trained and experienced presenting couple facilitating and leading each group
• Get support
• Bond with new Engaged Couples and establish new friendships
• Now in a personal face-to-face format, with about 4-7 engaged couples in each group.