Viktoria and Petro: Marriage preparation.

We would like to express our gratitude to Sister Catherine and Sister Ula for leading us through two remarkable courses - RCIA and marriage preparation. Over the last 6 months our weekly meetings have become a part of our lives.

It was a great pleasure to visit Sr Catherine and Sr Ula's house where we were always warmly welcomed with tea and biscuits which soon became a pleasant tradition for us.

It didn't take long to build a close and trusting relationship with the sisters, and after a few sessions, we talked freely about our experiences and relationships both with each other and with other people.

Every activity was carefully prepared and Sister Catherine often used support materials, which are difficult to find. All this new information was very interesting for us and easy to understand.  Our classes were held in English, but we didn't have any problems when an unfamiliar word came up, because the sisters could translate it into one of the other languages which they speak: Russian, Ukrainian or Spanish. During group sessions, we got to know a lot of interesting people from different countries and we were very happy to feel part of the community. After each session, we went home full of positive emotions, thoughts and plans.

I would recommend every couple who decides to get married, to go through a preparatory course. For your big decision will be accompanied by an equally serious course. Each lesson requires participation and careful thought. Be ready for a lot of discussion and the occasional argument. You get to know each other even better, because the course covers a whole range of topics and questions which you may have never thought about or discussed together. I'm sure that all the notes you make personally and mutually during this course will be useful for your relationship for many years to come, and in difficult times, you can always go back to them to remind you of your dream.

Sister Catherine and Sr Ula, we wish you success, may the love and faith that live in your hearts inspire you every day as you have inspired us with every class. Together, we have become closer to God and closer to each other.

Victoria and Pietro