Marriage
“Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh.” (Gen. 2:4)
The Sacrament of Marriage is a beautiful covenant and mystery, strengthened by God’s love. God intended the relationship between a man and woman in marriage to mirror the love between Christ and His Church. Because of the sacredness of this union between husband and wife, Christ provided the Church with many graces that flow from the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony, as a means of assisting husbands and wives to love each other with a deep and holy love. For those already Married:
The USCCB Site below includes wonderful resources. https://www.foryourmarriage.org/ Marriage Preparation:
For a Sacramental Marriage, you must be a registered parishioner, practicing your faith (attending Mass on a regular basis) and be free to marry. If one or both of the parties seeking the sacrament of Marriage is not a member of this parish a letter from the pastor of the parish where they are registered stating, they are registered and a member in good standing (practicing their faith) is required. If you or your fiancé are divorced a decree of annulment in most cases will be necessary. Contact the priest or deacon who will witness your marriage as soon as you become engaged, or at least nine months before your proposed wedding date. You will be meeting with your priest/deacon several times. You should not set a date, plan the wedding and contact the last. Attendance at Marriage Preparation programs in the Diocese can be done 8 to 12 months before your wedding. You will learn about communication skills, finances, sexuality, Natural Family Planning, spirituality, becoming a "domestic church", and many other helpful and important topics. You will also receive information on planning the wedding ceremony. The diocesan marriage directives require aa premarital inventory of all couple before marriage. FOCCUS is one particular inventory that is used the most in our diocese, and across the country. This inventory is not a test - it is a discussion tool to help you communicate about the areas of your relationship that are strong and these that need work. A priest, deacon, or someone assigned by either gives instruction on taking this inventory online and schedules a follow-up session. It is recommended that the FOCCUS inventory and follow-up session be done before you attend a Marriage Preparation Series. |
For those newly Engaged:
Please contact the parish at least 9 months prior to your intended wedding. The 2026 Marriage Preparation Series Schedule and other great Marriage Prep information is below. Click Download buttons for a printable copy. Use legal size paper when printing. Just getting started? Many couples find the site http://catholicweddinghelp.com/ helpful in preparing to plan your wedding.
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Prince of Peace
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