Dating for Marriage
A 6-week course to help you discern marriage.
Registration opens February 14 at 12:00 AM.
Check back next year for updates. Email Kevin to be placed on the list to be notified when registration is open.)
There is a lot of structure in place for people who are discerning a vocation to celibacy, but there isn’t a similar support network for people discerning marriage. Since the majority of the population is called to marriage, there is a glaring need for resources that can be used to help guide this discernment.
Dating couples, in particular, could benefit from resources like this. In the course of a dating relationship that has maintained healthy boundaries, the couple will naturally come to a point where they want to dive deeper into each other’s hearts and seek out a clearer understanding of whether or not they want to marry each other.
In order to meet that need, an intentional discernment program called Dating for Marriage (because pursuing further knowledge for the sake of a deeper discernment of marriage is simply the next step in a dating relationship) was created.
Dating for Marriage (formerly Next Step) is a 6-week program that walks participants through the elements of proximate preparation as designated by Pope St. John Paul II. Couples participating will be paired with a mentor couple who will accompany them through the program and who will become a trusted resource for knowledge about marriage and family life.
Who is this for?
Dating for Marriage is written for seriously dating couples who want to discern more intentionally with each other. It is strongly encouraged that a couple has been dating for at least 6 months before attending, and both members of the couple must be sophomores or higher.
What kind of commitment does this require?
The cost is $100 per couple, which covers the cost of all materials. Class will run from 7:30-9 PM each Wednesday, and the dates for the Spring 2024 class are March 20th - April 24th. We will NOT be offering a digital option, and everyone must attend in person. If you or your partner does not live in College Station, you can take the Next Step class online as an asynchronous self-study. We also recommend the online course Dating Well. It is a self-study course for single people or couples to learn more about the goals of dating and how to journey with another person in the discernment of marriage.
Registration opens February 14, 2024. Email Kevin if you have any questions or want to inquire about a need-based scholarship.