Drahoslava and Martin Kečkéš, a couple married for twelve years from the village of Láb in Slovakia, share their insights regarding premarital preparation courses. They emphasize the importance of addressing significant topics during these sessions, especially in light of the new guidelines provided by the Slovak Bishops' Conference about marriage preparation. Their experiences shed light on the necessity of discussing complex familial backgrounds, particularly with individuals coming from broken families, as these dynamics require special consideration.

The couple recounts how they got involved with the marriage preparation initiative that started in 2017 within the Bratislava Archdiocese. The program introduced mandatory preparation sessions that encompass nine essential topics. The Kečkéš family’s familiarity with the methodology, having previously undergone similar training with the Salesians, positioned them well to contribute effectively to this new initiative, thereby emphasizing the seamless transition from past experiences to guiding others.

Martin’s anecdote about their first meeting with future lecturers adds a touch of humor to the serious subject matter, illustrating the varied motivations people have for joining such programs. They believe strongly that to effectively convince couples preparing for marriage about the importance of these sessions, the facilitators themselves must embody the values they wish to impart, ensuring their message resonates authentically with their audience.