| ARCHDIOCESE
OF NEWARK 
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS |
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What do I have to do to prepare for my wedding? |
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A year prior to your wedding date you must go to the parish in which you will be married. You will meet with the pastor and he will begin preparing you for the sacrament. To supplement the preparation that your pastor will give you, the Family Life Ministries Office offers the following programs that fulfill the requirements of the Common Policy of Marriage Preparation for the State of New Jersey (please see your parish priest before registering for any of these programs): Pre-Cana and Remarriage Programs: Pre-Cana sessions are also available in Italian, Polish, Portuguese,and French-Creole and special sessions for the developmentally disabled and the hearing impaired. For registration information, call (973) 497-4328 Pre-Cana in Spanish: For information, call (973) 497-4326 Engaged Encounter Weekends (including special weekends for interfaith couples and second marriages): For registration information, call (973) 497-4323 |
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What can I do after the death of a loved one? |
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Approximately 60 support groups are available throughout the Archdiocese of Newark to help people cope with the death of a loved one. For information, call the Office of Family Life Ministries at (973) 497-4327. |
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Where can I go for help after the death of a child? |
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The needs of those suffering the loss of a child are very special. In an attempt to address these needs, the Office of Family Life Ministries offers support groups specifically for parents whose children have died. For more information call: (973) 497-4324 and in Spanish (973) 497-4326. |
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What kind of training do I need to facilitate a support group? |
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The Archdiocese of Newark offers a Bereavement Course for Support Group facilitators. These sessions are designed to explore the many faces of grief as well as the different aspects of a bereavement ministry. To find out more call (973) 497- 4327 or for Spanish call (973) 497-4326 |
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How can I get information about annulments? |
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Any one interested in receiving an annulment may speak with their parish priest and he will inform them of the necessary steps. If you would simply like to get an overview of the annulment procedure, the Family Life Office offers Annulment Information Evenings. During these sessions, a canon lawyer from the Archdiocese of Newark will provide the most recent guidelines, theology and requisites for obtaining an annulment. For more information about these evenings, call (973) 497-4327. |
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Do you offer any other counseling or can you refer me to another counselor? |
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The Family Life Office most frequently refers to counseling services offered through Catholic Community Services including those available through Parish Access Centers. Parish Access Centers offer: Alcohol and Drug RehabilitationMental Health Services Child Development Center Special Education Schools Emergency Food Program Immigration Services Programs for the Elderly Family Counseling Services for people living with HIV/AIDS For more information you may call the Parish Access Centers at 1-800-CCS-7413. |
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What kind of family planning does the Catholic Church approve of? |
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The Church approves of Natural Family Planning (NFP), an educational program to help couples plan their family size. Through a knowledge of natural body signs, Natural Family Planning teaches couples to know their fertile and infertile times. During each cycle a woman normally becomes fertile then infertile. As this happens, her body provides certain signs and symptoms which tell her when she can or cannot conceive a child. The main signals are changes in the cervix, cervical mucus and body temperature. Couples who are well informed can achieve 95% to 99% effectiveness in their fertility control. For more information or to register for Natural Family Planning classes call (973) 833-3121. |
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Do you offer any of the Family Life programs in Spanish? |
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Yes, the Family Life Office offers most of its programs in Spanish including: Bereavement TrainingYoung Adult Ministry Hispanic Healing Mass Spanish Families Toward the Third Millennium Parejas Para Cristo Buscando el Amor Family Ministry Training For more information call Reina Basualdo at (973) 497-4326 |
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What can you tell me about Pro-Life Issues? |
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The Archdiocese Of Newark is so dedicated to Pro-Life concerns that it has a separate office just for these issues. For any Pro-Life information,you may call the Respect Life Office directly at (908) 486-6363. |
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Can you refer me to a self-help group for issues related to family life? |
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Family Life has a listing of programs available throughout the state. For more information call (973) 497-4325. |
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Family Life Ministries |
| Archdiocese of Newark, 171Clifton Ave., Newark, NJ 07104-0500 | |||||
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