Marriage
Marriage is a sacrament— two people who by their love bring the person of Christ into each other’s lives. A civil bond is a legal contract between two individuals; the Sacrament of Marriage is the union of two FAITH-FILLED people with and in the person of Christ.
Because of the sacredness and nature of the Sacrament of Marriage, the Church takes great care in bringing its members to marriage. It attempts to help couples prepare themselves for the sacrament through several premarital preparation sessions. In these sessions, the couple will strengthen their relationship through the FOCCUS instrument, deepen their appreciation of marriage as a Sacrament, and plan their wedding liturgy. This process takes about six months.
A couple is usually married in the church of either the bride or the groom. Since we are a large parish and receive many requests for wedding ceremonies in our church, St. Patrick’s follows the following guidelines:
Because of the sacredness and nature of the Sacrament of Marriage, the Church takes great care in bringing its members to marriage. It attempts to help couples prepare themselves for the sacrament through several premarital preparation sessions. In these sessions, the couple will strengthen their relationship through the FOCCUS instrument, deepen their appreciation of marriage as a Sacrament, and plan their wedding liturgy. This process takes about six months.
A couple is usually married in the church of either the bride or the groom. Since we are a large parish and receive many requests for wedding ceremonies in our church, St. Patrick’s follows the following guidelines:
- A person who wishes to secure a date to marry at St. Patrick’s must be a registered active parishioner for at least six months or be a dependent child of an active parishioner. An active parishioner attends Sunday Mass, shares their time and talents with the parish community, and tithes regularly.
- Non-members may request permission from the pastor to get married at St. Patrick’s.
- For a dependent child of an active parishioner or a non-parishioner that has been granted permission from the St. Patrick’s pastor, the following must be met: Before the marriage preparation process begins, the presiding priest must receive letters from the bride’s and groom’s pastor(s) attesting to their status as registered and active parishioners of his parish, and in which he gives permission for the wedding to occur at St. Patrick’s Church.
