Marriage Preparation
Why Pre-Cana Is Not Enough: What Most Programs Miss
Standard programs cover communication and finances. They rarely address the five pillars that determine whether consent is valid in the eyes of the Church.
Read More →A review of 1,847 marriage tribunal cases across 150+ dioceses reveals the same preventable patterns. The Forever Test helps you discover whether those gaps exist in your relationship before your wedding day.
A Canon Law diagnostic that examines the five pillars required for valid matrimonial consent. This is not a feel-good quiz. It may reveal gaps you need to address.
100% free. No signup. Results are private.
The Reality
critical formation gaps appear in the majority of tribunal cases reviewed
cases show the same preventable patterns repeating across cultures and continents
of these couples believed their marriage would fail on their wedding day
Based on a direct review of 1,847 marriage tribunal cases across 150+ dioceses over 18 years
"They planned the wedding. Nobody prepared them for the marriage. The gaps were there long before the ceremony, often since childhood."
The Diagnostic Tool
Based on "The 5 Conversations a Couple Must Have Before Marriage," this AI-powered diagnostic examines the five pillars that Canon Law requires for valid matrimonial consent. These are the same pillars evaluated in every marriage tribunal case.
The test will give you an honest score. If you are ready, it will confirm that. If you are not, it will tell you exactly where the gaps are so you can address them. Better to discover this now than in a tribunal years from now.
Quick but thorough examination of each pillar.
Not designed to make you feel good. Designed to tell you the truth.
Know exactly which pillars need attention and what to do next.
Your answers are confidential. No data stored.
No email required. No signup needed. Start immediately.
The Complete Journey
Most programs begin at engagement. By then, the deepest formation gaps are already set. We start where the patterns actually begin.
Birth to 12 Years
The domestic church is where children first learn what marriage looks like. Love, honesty, forgiveness, and self-control are absorbed, not taught. This is where formation begins.
13 to 25 Years
Young people need to understand their purpose before choosing a spouse. The right relationship makes you better. The wrong one can set a trajectory that ends in the tribunal.
Dating to Engagement
This is the stage for asking the hard questions. Not "Do I love this person?" but "Can we handle money, conflict, children, and faith together for the rest of our lives?"
Engagement to Wedding
Standard Pre-Cana covers communication and finances. We go deeper into what the Church actually requires for valid consent: the five pillars that determine whether your marriage is real.
First 5 Years
The first years are the hardest and the most formative. Small daily choices in these years create the patterns that will sustain or erode your marriage for decades.
Mature Marriage & Beyond
Your experience is needed. We help mature couples become mentors for younger ones, but only after careful preparation. Not every couple is ready to mentor, and that is okay.
The Knowledge Is Free
These resources contain the same frameworks and insights from our books and programs. We believe every Catholic couple deserves access to this formation, regardless of ability to pay.
AI-powered Canon Law diagnostic. Examines all five pillars of valid consent and gives you an honest readiness score with specific guidance.
Take the Test Now →The same framework used in our paid course, adapted as a self-guided workbook. Evaluate your readiness across all five pillars with guided questions.
Download Free →Structured discussion starters drawn from the patterns observed across 1,847 tribunal cases. These are the conversations that matter most.
Download Free →A day-by-day guide for the seven days before your wedding. Rooted in the Church's liturgical and sacramental tradition.
Download Free →Each week, one insight drawn from 18 years of tribunal experience. Practical. Honest. No fluff.
Subscribe →In-depth articles on marriage preparation, Canon Law, and family formation. Updated regularly.
Browse →Guided Implementation
You have the knowledge from our free resources. These offerings provide guided implementation, personal feedback, and structured accountability.
The Essential Book
Complete Online Program
We review each application to ensure the program is the right fit.
One-on-One Guidance
Brief intake form required so we can assess whether a consultation is the right next step for your situation.
What the Data Shows
Pattern 1: Understanding
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In the majority of cases reviewed, at least one spouse entered marriage without a clear understanding of what the Church means by permanence, fidelity, or openness to children. The knowledge gap was there before the wedding.
Based on tribunal case data
Pattern 2: Formation Timing
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The deepest formation gaps did not begin at engagement. They began in childhood, in homes where faith was nominal or where conflict was never resolved in healthy ways. By engagement, the patterns were already deeply set.
Based on tribunal case data
Pattern 3: The Missing Conversations
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Case after case reveals couples who discussed wedding logistics in detail but never had serious conversations about children, conflict resolution, extended family, finances, or the meaning of the vows they were about to make.
Based on tribunal case data
These patterns are drawn from a direct review of 1,847 tribunal cases across 150+ dioceses over 18 years. Individual case details are never disclosed.
Latest Insights
Marriage Preparation
Standard programs cover communication and finances. They rarely address the five pillars that determine whether consent is valid in the eyes of the Church.
Read More →Engagement
After reviewing 1,847 cases, one pattern emerged as the most consistent predictor of future marital difficulty.
Read More →Family Formation
The tribunal cases reviewed today have roots in the family environments of 20 or 30 years ago. Here is what parents can do differently.
Read More →Common Questions
The Forever Test takes 5 minutes. It requires no email and no payment. It will give you an honest score based on the same Canon Law framework used in the marriage tribunal. Better to know now.
🎯 Take the Forever Test NowCompletely free. Completely private. Completely honest.