Congratulations! Marriage is a major step in one's life and affects the life of the parish as well.
Please speak with the pastor at least six months before setting a date.
The Catholic Church has four basic requirements before Catholics can be validly married:
(1) the man and the woman are actually free to marry;
(2) they freely exchange their consent;
(3) in consenting to marry, they have the intention to marry for life, to be faithful to one another and be open to children; and
(4) their consent is given in the canonical form, i.e., in the presence of two witnesses and before a properly authorized church minister, typically a priest or a deacon.
You may want to take a closer look at whether you are ready for marriage. Various books and online resources can help you in your discernment. ForYourMarriage.org, an initiative of the U.S. Catholic bishops, offers a personality audit as well as "Ten Important Research Findings on Marriage and Choosing a Marriage Partner," along with other tools.
The Church presumes that baptized Catholics have a right to receive the sacraments, unless there is something that would prevent them from doing so (an "impediment"). If one of you is Catholic and this is the first time both of you will be married, then it is very likely that you can be married in the Catholic Church.
The couple must normally receive six months of preparation in advance. The groom and/or bride must be registered, worshipping parishioners or have family ties to the parish if living elsewhere. During this time, the would-be spouses are confirmed if they have not previously received confirmation and it can be done without grave inconvenience.
Please speak with the pastor at least six months before setting a date.
The Catholic Church has four basic requirements before Catholics can be validly married:
(1) the man and the woman are actually free to marry;
(2) they freely exchange their consent;
(3) in consenting to marry, they have the intention to marry for life, to be faithful to one another and be open to children; and
(4) their consent is given in the canonical form, i.e., in the presence of two witnesses and before a properly authorized church minister, typically a priest or a deacon.
You may want to take a closer look at whether you are ready for marriage. Various books and online resources can help you in your discernment. ForYourMarriage.org, an initiative of the U.S. Catholic bishops, offers a personality audit as well as "Ten Important Research Findings on Marriage and Choosing a Marriage Partner," along with other tools.
The Church presumes that baptized Catholics have a right to receive the sacraments, unless there is something that would prevent them from doing so (an "impediment"). If one of you is Catholic and this is the first time both of you will be married, then it is very likely that you can be married in the Catholic Church.
The couple must normally receive six months of preparation in advance. The groom and/or bride must be registered, worshipping parishioners or have family ties to the parish if living elsewhere. During this time, the would-be spouses are confirmed if they have not previously received confirmation and it can be done without grave inconvenience.
