Prepare for a Joy-Filled Marriage
"We are so thankful for the opportunities provided to us through Renew the I do's marriage preparation. Their diverse and dedicated team allowed us to learn and grow in various ways. We reflect back often on the conversations that were sparked through our weekend and utilize the tools we learned in our marriage now. Thank you to everyone at Renew the I do for supporting our marriage." -Dave & Sarah
Joy-Filled Marriage Preparation
The 'Joy-Filled Marriage' Preparation is offered in 4 ways:
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In-person weekends (Friday, Saturday and Sunday)
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Virtual LIVE STREAM via ZOOM on in-person weekends (Friday, Saturday and Sunday)
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Private ONE on ONE sessions
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5 week series (Thursday Evenings)
*All weekends have in-person and virtual options.
Please choose at registration.
April 16th-18th, 2021
St. Benedict the Abbot
McMurray, PA
August 6-8th, 2021
Beauty Shoppe Arsenal Motors
Pittsburgh, PA
Joy-Filled Marriage ONE ON ONE
In this one on one version; you will be guided by a trained facilitator to walk through this lively, insightful, and resourceful marriage preparation experience with your future spouse.
On behalf of Renew the 'I do’ Foundation, congratulations on your engagement!
You can count on our prayers and support for a long, happy and joy-filled marriage!
Our Joy-Fill Marriage preparation program is beautifully evolving to provide you with the best tools and training techniques, so that you both can experience a truly thriving marriage! Through a balance of theology and psychology, we emphasize the importance of fully understanding the sacrament of marriage and preparing for the many years that follow your wedding day. Led by a dynamic team of speaker couples, you’ll be guided to discern your call to marriage, learn what “I do” truly means, practice praying together and working on key marriage skills.
It brings me great joy to be a part of your marriage journey!
Alive in Christ,
Fr. Jay Donahue
This program meets the canonical requirements to be married in the Catholic Church and is founded on the Ascension Press curriculum. If you have any questions about the Joy-Filled Weekends you can contact our
Program Director, Ashley Dillon at ashley@renewtheido.org.
Meet the Joy-Filled Weekend Team
Joe and Meghan Austin
Joy-Filled Weekends Facilitating Couple
Pete and Laura Bianco
Marriage from the Beginning and how Christ Restores
Jim and Regina Donahue
Communication and Love Language within Marriage
John and Maria Hayden
Building Happiness- time, talent and treasure
Sean and Emily Hannon
Sexual honesty before and within Marriage
Vinny and Christina Costain
Intimacy and Prayer
Matt and Jill Kaufman
To what are you really saying I do to?
Randy and Lisa Koslosky
Navigating Infertility in Marriage
Dave and Maria Phelps
Organic Married Sex and Baseball
Mike and Dolores Shipe
What is Organic Married Sex?
Teddy and Katie Sweeney
Marriage, a witness of love and mercy
Nate and Bethany Wigfield
Marriage Mission & Role of Virtue
PJ and Ashley Dillon
Joy-Filled Weekends,
Program Director
Fr. Adam Potter
Theology of the Body
Carla Sandy
Resolving Conflict in Marriage
Dan and Christina Gallagher
Communication and Love Language within Marriage
Tony and Tina Rossi
Sexual honesty and Marriage
Dan and Heidi Flaherty
Why prayer is important for your Marriage
View our brochure to learn more about the 'Joy-Filled Marriage' Prep
5 Step Prep
A personalized, deeper and additional on-going marriage preparation just for the couple. This does NOT replace the weekend it is done in addition to the weekend. Each couple is paired with one of our trained instructors to guide them through the 5 Step Prep.
If you have any questions about The 5 Step Prep you can contact our Director of Family Life, Dolores Shipe at dolores@renewtheido.org.
What others are saying about
5 Step Prep:
"We are so grateful that we had our preparation with Renew the 'I do'!
We believe it is making us view this hardship so much differently and know that our faith and love
will overcome this."
-Anthony & Maria
Marriage Preparation Inspiration & Resources
"Young lovers see a vision of the world redeemed by love."- Wendell Berry
How to Plan a Catholic Wedding
July 13, 2020
It can be overwhelming and very exciting to plan your wedding. This article provides a simple but easy checklist of priorities with ease in planning your wedding day. Which will be a very beautiful memory that you will cherish forever, and the sacrament will be the source of many graces that will strengthen your marital bond throughout your life. Inevitably, some things will not go to plan. Remember, though, that the day is not about perfection, but about the sacrament, and the celebration of your love.
FROM THE THEOLOGICAL TO THE PRACTICAL: TIPS FOR YOUR WEDDING NIGHT
FemCatholic
July 13, 2020
You said your vows, had a beautiful wedding, and now, it’s your wedding night.
While the Church may provide us with a spiritual and theological understanding of marriage, there are some, let’s say, more “practical” aspects of a couple’s first night together and subsequent attempts at “renewing their vows” that no one in the Church ever quite talks about.
Enter Hollywood, where “the deed” occurs seamlessly, effortlessly, and with a fantasy-like quality, whereas the actual, lived experience is far more raw, funny, and intimate than it ever appears on screen. In real life, there are no makeup artists, lighting and sound specialists, body doubles, or crews of people to assist the moment.
Fortunately, we do have grace, humor, and patience. I therefore suggest, with humility, the following seven tips for your real Catholic wedding night, which I will explain by way of the following metaphor:
In real life, there are no makeup artists, lighting and sound specialists, body doubles, or crews of people to assist the moment. Fortunately, we do have grace, humor, and patience.
Research Reveals the Secret to “Happily Ever After”
April Eldemire, LMFT
January 26, 2016
If you think the way to eternal love is through grand gestures of romance and passion, think again. Sure, love poems, romantic getaways, and surprise flowers are all wonderful for keeping your relationship happy, but the true secret lies in the small, every day moments.
Remember those first few months of dating?
Read More by clicking below!
Getting real about marriage: Jackie & Bobby: Part 1
Ascension Presents: a video featuring Jackie and Bobby Angel
September 03, 2015
PART 1 of 2: Jackie and Bobby Angel share the joys and struggles of marriage. They discuss the everyday experiences that have taught them how to live for each other, and demonstrate how communication and self-sacrifice are the keys to a healthy relationship between a husband and wife.
