Jenny and Jason Kling look forward to the Saturday nights when they can attend the After Cana program at St. Cecilia Parish in Rockaway.
It’s the chance for the parents of five to go on a date, engage in deeper conversations, and “get together with other couples and enjoy ourselves,” Jason Kling said.
Jim Clancy, St. Cecilia’s faith-formation director, and his wife, Armi, facilitate the ministry open to couples at all stages of marriage. It aims to support husbands and wives in the Catholic Church to grow more fully in their sacramental marriages.
The format includes night prayer led by Father Zig Peplowski, pastor, or Father Mateusz Darlak, parochial vicar. Couples then watch a video featuring leading scholars or theologians like Bishop Robert Barron. Topics include finances and marriage, raising children and marriage, praying together, and intimacy in a marriage.
Husbands and wives then discuss the questions together privately.
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Clancy said After Cana “creates that space” to facilitate more intentional conversations one-on-one with husbands and wives and to provide community support to couples.
The program provides an opportunity to examine things that need “to be talked about or tweaked.” It can be edifying for a couple to discover they are happily “on the same page” about an issue, Jenny Kling said.
Then, couples reunite as a larger group for fellowship and food. There’s “no push to share,” Clancy said.
“For myself and my wife, it has been one of the more fruitful spiritual activities that we have been able to have together,” said Clancy.
A few years ago, Chris and Anne Trepcos, another St. Cecilia’s couple, had the idea of creating a program where couples could regularly meet. After discussing this idea with others, After Cana took shape.
The Clancys and Klings previously ran Pre Cana programs. They see how important After Cana is for married couples and the Church. Clancy said post-marriage formation is not always available.
Clancy continued, “As family life diminishes and struggles culturally and in the Church, it has downstream consequences for the faith of children and people in general.” After Cana provides “a small piece” to address the need to renew the sanctity of married life, he said.
Father Darlak hopes the program helps married couples grow in their faith in God and in each other. The love they share needs to continually grow stronger, and there is no better source than God himself, who is love, he said.
The priest believes the lessons from couples with a long relationship can help other couples see that “they are not alone and that there is always a solution in times of uncertainty.” Father Darlak said he would like to see After Cana spread so “more couples can strengthen themselves in their beautiful and amazing life and vocation.”
Clancy encourages more seasoned couples to join them.
After Cana “is not just for newlyweds who are figuring it out but even for seniors who have been married for 50 years. There is always room for growth,” he said.
The next After Cana session will be held on Saturday, April 12, at 8 a.m. in St. Cecilia Church. No registration or RSVP is needed, and it is open to all. Visit https://st-cecilia.org/aftercana
The Office of Family Life of the Diocese of Paterson also offers opportunities for marriage enrichment. Visit the website to learn more.
