HOLY MATRIMONY

The sacrament of Holy Matrimony is a great gift in the life of the Church and the world.  Marriage is a lifelong bond between a man and a woman which exists for the good of the spouses and for the procreation and education of children.  Because of its unitive and life-giving dimensions, marriage reminds us that spousal love, when lived authentically, shows forth the great love that Christ has for His Church.  Through sacramental marriage, spouses become one another’s helpmates to Heaven.

Catholics who are able to marry have the right to marry in the Catholic Church.  With that right comes responsibilities which are meant to assure that a person is truly free at every level of his being—body, mind, and soul—to live this reality as God intends:  freely, fully, faithfully, and fruitfully.  Our marriage preparation here at Mary Star is designed to assure couples of this authentic freedom.

Marriage preparation must begin at least six months before the proposed wedding date.

A wedding is a day;

A marriage is a lifetime!

As a church we rejoice with those preparing for a lifelong commitment in the Sacrament of Marriage.  As a sacrament, marriage is more than a civil bond or contract, because each of those can one day be dismissed.  A sacramental marriage is a covenant, a lifelong commitment bound by the love of God.
 
In the Sacrament of Marriage, a couple are not only binding themselves, but they are also inviting God to be a central part of their life together.  The same was true in the Bible for Adam, Noah, Moses and David!  Before Jesus sealed the new and eternal covenant through his death on the Cross, he said, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13).  Likewise, a couple preparing for the Sacrament of Marriage are saying to each other that they are willing to place their spouse and their future family above themselves.  They are willing to die to themselves in order to grow in the joy and happiness of Christ that is only found in true love.
 
As the family of God we rejoice with all couples preparing for marriage!  We pray for them and hope that they will always grow together in God’s love.
 
Preparation for this great sacrament normally begins at least six months prior to the proposed wedding date.  The first step is to schedule an initial interview with one of the priests.  This can be done by leaving your name and contact information with the Parish Office or speaking with one of the priests after Mass.  This initial appointment is for adults only; please do not bring any children with you.
 
There are several more steps to the Marriage Preparation process; these will be outlined in the initial interview.  The goal of each step is to help the engaged couple better comprehend what the Catholic church understands and teaches about the meaning and commitment of the Sacrament of Matrimony.
 
For a more extensive document containing all our wedding policies, please visit the Parish Office.