“In this way the love of God was revealed to us: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might have life through him.” (1 Jn 4:9). Here is love at its source. Love is the gift of self. It means emptying oneself to reach out to others. In a certain sense, it means forgetting oneself for the good of others. Authentic human love reflects within itself the logic of the divine. In this perspective, the duty of conjugal fidelity can be fully grasped. “You are everything to me, I give myself totally to you, forever”: this is the commitment that springs from the heart of every person who is sincerely in love.
– John Paul II, Message to Married Couples, 9/25/ 1993.
Congratulations on your engagement! As you are taking your first step on the path of love, we are here to assist you on your journey to bless your marriage through the Catholic Church. Completion of the following steps provides you with necessary preparation for the Sacrament of Matrimony.
Step 1: Call or visit our Pastoral Office to pick up the information packet and to leave your contact information (names, phone number, possible date if marriage, and language) so that one our priest can contact you to set an appointment for your initial interview, where both partners will have to attend. The celebrations are reserved on a first come – first serve basis, and a deposit of $100 is required to officially considered it a booked mass. Pricing can be found on the information packet received by the pastoral office.
Step 2: Once you have met with the priest for your interview and he has approved you and your partner to get married through the Catholic Church, you may reserve the date and time for your mass. Wedding celebrations can be held on Fridays at 3:00 pm, or Saturdays at 9:00 am, 12:00 pm, and 1:30 pm (unless otherwise specified).
Step 3: All couples that are officially in the marriage process must have completed or be enrolled in the process to complete their sacraments; baptism (a recent certificate is required), communion (original/recent copy), and confirmation (original/recent copy). Proof of completion (sacrament certificates) must be submitted to the celebrating priest no later than 30 days before the wedding celebration. If a sacrament has not been completed, please notify the priest the day of your interview, as he will guide you on what steps to take next to continue with the process.
Step 4: Register and attend the required Pre- Marital classes. The pre-marital classes are held every other month at our parish and sister parishes- Our Lady of the Pillar, and Our lady of Guadalupe- Delhi, St. Josephs, and St. Anne’s. The cost for these classes are $75 per couple, and consist of two required classes. You will receive a certificate upon successful completion of the course, this will need to be turned in to the celebrating priest. You can obtain the calendar of classes along with the application at our Pastoral Office, or you can download the document below. (Attach pre-marital calendar and application here)
Step 5: Check in with the celebrating priest to make sure all of the documents are in place and visit the Pastoral Office to pay off the balance one month before the wedding. The mass and additional services (music) must be paid off at least one month before the event, if it has not been paid at least 30 days before- we hold the discretion to hold or postpone it.
If you would like more detailed information about booking a wedding mass at our parish, you can contact us at the Pastoral Office to pick up a wedding information packet, which has more detailed information and explains all the requirements.
