Links to Neighboring Parishes:

St. Therese Parish,  St. Thomas More Parish

Congratulations on your Engagement!!

Your wedding day will be a most holy, glorious, and exciting day that will be cherished in your hearts for the rest of your lives. Rest assured you are in our prayers as you journey toward the beautiful vocation of marriage in the Catholic Church.

The Sacramental bond of marriage, once validly received, can never be broken. For this reason, it is only prudent to take time to pray, reflect, and prepare.

The purpose of Marriage Formation is to help you marry well and also to provide catechesis and insights to the faith as well as your duties and responsibilities to the Catholic Community as a married couple.

To form you for marriage, you will be asked to participate in a number of meetings and programs. We recommend that you invest yourselves completely to this process and put as much toward it as you would for your wedding day itself. This page will briefly describe the marriage formation process and how to get the process started.

How Do We Get Started?

(It may look like a lot, but don't worry, it will be explained to you in detail when you meet with the priest or deacon.

It's not that much if you plan ahead and start early)

It is recommended to begin this process at least

6-8 months in advance of the wedding date.

The more time you allow, the more leisurely you will be able to schedule your meetings.

If you will be needing dispensations or annulments,

it is advisable to start as early as a year before the proposed wedding date.

A wedding date can only tentatively be scheduled until the couple’s freedom to marry has been determined.

1. CONTACT by phone, or in person, Fr. Tom Farrell, Fr. Brian Belongia, or Deacon Rick Simon. They will ask you a couple of basic questions to determine your freedom to marry & the documentation you will need to provide. They will also set up an initial interview with you and your fiancé
2. CONTACT the Church you were baptized. Ask them to provide a baptismal certificate. If you were also confirmed at this church, ask them to include the confirmation notation on the certificate. You can bring this information to your initial meeting, or have them sent directly to the priest or deacon helping you with marriage formation.
3. If you are Catholic and not a Registered Contributing Parishioner of St. Pius X, you may be asked either to:
• Join and register with St. Pius X as an active member.

--OR--

• Provide a brief letter from the pastor of the church you belong to, stating you are an active member of a parish. This letter can be obtained by contacting that pastor.
4. At your initial interview, the priest or deacon will assist the Bride and Groom in filling out the Bride/Groom form (A-Form)
5. The priest or deacon may ask you to fill out an additional question form and return it. This will be discussed at your initial meeting.
6. If you were married before, even if not in the catholic church, additional documentation is (or may be) required. This will be discussed at your initial meeting. In some cases, when you call the priest or deacon to set up an initial interview, you can be informed as to the documentation you are required to present.
7. You will need to provide proof of attending the diocesan marriage preparation session and FOCUS sessions. This will be discussed at your initial meeting.
8. Anytime between your initial meeting and your rehearsal, the Bride and Groom are to ask a parent (one for each of them) to contact the priest or deacon and fill out a Freedom to Mary, B-Form. This also gives the priest or deacon a chance to meet your parents.

What is Canonical Form?

All Catholics are bound to canonical form. Simply put, this means, in order to be considered valid, your marriage consent must be received by a priest or deacon of the Church in the presence of at least two (2) witnesses in a sacred place of worship.

• For a mixed marriage to be performed in another church outside the communion of the Catholic Church, a dispensation from Canonical Form is required from the Bishop. For a dispensation to be granted, the marriage must take place in a church.

• CAN I MARRY A NON-CHRISTIAN? Yes, however, several dispensations from the Bishop are/may be required and you are expected to complete the marriage formation program together, just as any other couple.

Wedding Planning Forms

    Marriage Questions       Wedding Liturgy Planning Sheets

Visitors since February 2006

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This site was last updated: 11 May 2008

25 Oct 06