Jesus said,
"From the beginning of creation God made them male and female. This is
why a man must leave father and mother, and the two become one body.
They are no longer two, therefore, but one body. So then, what God has
united, man must not divide. "
-
Mark 10: 6-9
Human love is a reflection of God’s love, and is
blessed and consecrated by God in the Sacrament of Marriage.
If you have decided to marry, mention it at the end
of Sunday Mass and arrangements will be made to begin the necessary
preparations. This should be at least six months before the proposed
date.
Preparations will include checking that both
parties are free to marry in Church, as well as obtaining necessary
dispensations if one party is not a Catholic. (If one person has been
married before, this will need to be investigated. If one is not a
Catholic, the Catholic upbringing of any children has to be assured.)
Church Law requires that couples be adequately
prepared for marriage, and this preparation can take a variety of
forms. It usually focuses on the nature and complexities of the married
relationship and allows the couple to look at issues they might not have
discussed. It will also cover the Church’s teaching on marriage.
The Church documentation for the wedding will
require that if you were baptised elsewhere, you will need to obtain a
new Certificate of Baptism (dated within the six months prior to the
wedding) from the parish in which you were baptised. We can help find
addresses or phone numbers if needed.
Civil Law requires that you contact the local
Registrar to provide the Marriage Schedule for the wedding, without
which no wedding ceremony can take place.
To avoid errors, Orders of Service should not be
printed before consulting the priest and the organist. |
