-
-
‘You made Adam, and you made his wife Eve to be his helper and support;and from these two the human race has come.You said,
‘It is not good for the man to be alone; let us make him a helper like himself.’
Now, not with lust, but with fidelity I take this kinswoman as my wife.
Send down your mercy on me and on her, and grant that we
may grow old together. Bless us with children.
Tobit 8: 6-7 -
Marriage In The Catholic Church
The Catholic Church teaches that the covenant of marriage is a lifelong and exclusive partnership of a man and a woman. Marriage is a holy vocation, or calling, that by its very nature promotes the good of both spouses and is open to the procreation and education of children. Marriage comes into being by the free and unimpeded act of giving marital consent by both spouses.
The Sacrament of Marriage should normally take place along with the celebration of the Holy Mass. Through the Celebration of the Mass, the bride and groom offer their lives to one another as Christ did for his Church. Partaking in the Mass, the couple is united to each other through Christ, who is present in the Holy Eucharist.
Man and woman, now one flesh, are called to be a physical sign of the love of God; a love that is a giving of oneself completely, faithful in all ways and fruitful in its openness to children.
Learn more aboutThe Catholic View of Marriage -
Marriage Process
Engagement is a wonderful time of joyful anticipation. It is also a time of preparation. Many decisions must be made from choosing the wedding dress and planning the honeymoon to picking the flowers and a photographer. These are all important in planning your special day. However, marriage is an intimate union of husband and wife that continues for a lifetime. For this reason, couples seeking marriage in the Catholic Church are asked to spend several months in preparing for marriage and not just the wedding.
Contact your parish 6 months to 1 year prior to your tentative wedding date
The Sacrament of Marriage normally takes place in the Parish Church. To prepare for the wedding and the Sacrament of Matrimony the engaged couple should visit their parish priest to set time and dates for marriage preparation which includes verification of Baptism and Confirmation, completion of information forms, determination of eligibility, a temperament analysis and premarital inventory.
Six-Month Preparation
In the Diocese of Stockton, it is normal policy that the engaged couple to participate in a pre-marriage program, at least 6 months prior to their wedding. The marriage preparation programs offered are beneficial in the growth of a couple as they enter into the Sacrament of Matrimony.
Couples can choose between various programs, including:-
Pre-marriage Course
-
When Families Marry
-
Engaged Encounter Weekend - Catholic Engaged Encounter
The programs have fees associated with them and a donation for that amount is appreciated.
-
-
Marriage Resources
-