Wedding
Our Parish Family congratulates you on this important step in your life. We are aware of the enormous amount of time and energy you will put into the planning and arranging for your wedding day. We are also concerned with your preparation for wedded life and hope to help you prepare for this most significant event of your lives.
The Roman Catholic Bishops of Michigan, as of January 1, 1981, stated that a couple wishing to marry in the Catholic Church must contact a priest at least six months prior to the wedding. This guideline was made to give the couple and the priest celebrating the wedding adequate time for preparation.
Marriage Preparation Steps
Following is an outline of the steps necessary to seeking marriage in the Catholic Church.
1. Contact Your Parish
Contact and meet with your parish priest, deacon or pastoral minister as soon as you become engaged. At this meeting you will:
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Set and/or confirm the wedding date
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Complete the church pre-nuptial forms (A-form)
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Acquire baptismal certificates
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Make arrangements to complete the marriage preparation program required by the parish.
2. Complete the Marriage Preparation Program outlined by your parish
The church requires you to begin your marriage preparation at least six months before your wedding date. During this time of preparation you and your fiancé will be given the opportunity to focus on your relationship readiness, skills and expectations for lifelong marriage, and understanding Catholic marriage as a sacrament.
Your marriage preparation will cover a number of topics including:
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Marriage as a Sacrament
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Communication
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Conflict Resolution
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Parenting
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Careers and Family Life
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Finances
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Commitment and Church
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Family of Origin
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Catholic Understanding of Intimacy, Sex and Procreation
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Natural Family Planning
Depending on the design of the program your parish may utilize a pre-marriage inventory and/or a seminar style workshop as part of the marriage preparation process.
There is a number of Marriage Preparation seminar style programs offered throughout the Archdiocese.
3. Plan the Wedding Liturgy
The Catholic Church recognizes marriages between Catholics and non-Catholics when:
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One is Catholic and the other is baptized Christian, but not Catholic
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One is Catholic and the other is a member of a different religion
- Meet with your parish priest, deacon or pastoral minister to plan the liturgy for you wedding ceremony.
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Marriage between two Catholics is normally celebrated within Mass
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Marriage between a Catholic and a baptized non-Catholic may be celebrated inside or outside the Mass
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Marriage between a Catholic and an unbaptized person is celebrated within the Liturgy of the Word
- Complete the Marriage Preparation Program outlined by your parish
- Obtain marriage license
- Schedule rehearsal for ceremony
Please contact the parish office at 248.619.9910 to set an appointment.