Congratulations on your engagement! This is a time of great joy and diligent preparation, and the parish community shares in this excitement as you head toward the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony together. In the Catholic tradition, marriage is more than a legal contract; it is a sacred covenant—a visible sign of God’s invisible love. To support this transition, a process of formation is provided to help build a marriage that is spiritually vibrant and lifelong.

We are deeply concerned not only about the wedding day, but every day that follows, and our marriage preparation process at St. Stephen is tailored to help strengthen your relationship and give you a good model of marriage to emulate. To this end, we use the Witness to Love process that pairs an engaged couple with a mentor couple of their choosing to go through the journey together. This mentor couple can be from you or your beloved's past (such as a close family friend) or a couple from the parish. Either way, they must have been married in the Church for at least 5 years and actively practicing their faith. Engaged couples who are unsure who to ask should come to Mass, scope out a likely candidate, and strike up a conversation and see where it leads. Fr. Stephen is available to verify if a couple would be a good match, but neither he nor anyone on parish staff will match couples together.

Getting Started

1. Initial Contact Notify the parish office (office@saintstephenmil.org or 414-762-0552) as soon as you get engaged or at least 1 year prior to the desired wedding date. This ensures ample time for preparation and scheduling.
2. First Meeting with Fr. Stephen: This session is a introduction of the couple and a review of the process. Come with your sacramental information (Baptism and Confirmation dates and church).
3. Marriage Prep Program: Download and consult this Witness to Love Roadmap and the Witness to Love Scavenger Hunt.