Together for
Life - Preparing for Marriage
General
Make an appointment with your parish priest. Do this
as early as possible because there are
other engaged couples who may be looking at the same calendar date and time
as you! Besides,
there are documents that you will need and getting them may take some time.
So we suggest
that you contact your parish priest six months before the date you wish to
marry. He will ask you
to schedule a few visits with him. In this way he can explain the civil and
Church responsibilities
involved. Here is a general idea of what to expect.
Civil Responsibilities
You will need a civil marriage license OR banns. City
Hall sells the licences. The Parish Church
supplies the banns. Please check with your parish priest to find out whether
you need a licence
or will be married by banns.
Church Responsibilities
You will need an updated certificate of Baptism issued
six months prior to the wedding.
If your partner is not a Roman
Catholic, you will need to discuss your religious differences,
especially concerning the passing on of your faith to children.
You will want to arrange the following particulars of your ceremony
according to parish policies, :
• discuss with each other and the priest the readings and the
prayers you want
• select music, make arrangements with a photographer and choose
floral arrangements
• check if the announcements of your wedding will be publicized
in your Church (banns)
• set a time for the wedding rehearsal.
The Catholic Church does not permit weddings outdoors or in other
secular settings, or on Sundays.
The wedding may take place, under certain circumstances, in the
Church of the partner who is
not a Roman Catholic. Please give your parish priest early notice
if you seek to marry in another church.
Personal Responsibilities
The
Diocese of St. Catharines requires that couples planning to marry
participate in one of the Marriage Preparation programs offered
at some of the parishes. To benefit more fully from the Marriage
Preparation program, it is best to participate as early as possible.
These
programs are held in different parts of the diocese and are facilitated
by the parish priest and a team of married couples. They address
a life-long commitment in the context of the sacrament of marriage
in the Catholic Church, current church issues and other topics
such as communication, finances, sexual intimacy, family life,
natural family planning.
The
diocese also provides Engaged Encounter weekends which allow more
time for personal reflection and private communication between
couples. Ask a pastor for an explanatory brochure or visit ceeniagara.@cogeco.ca
Schedules for these two diocesan programs follow.
Check the Calendar for
Marriage Preparation/Separated & Divorced Events
