In the Roman Catholic tradition, Marriage is a Sacrament.

The bride and the groom contract their marriage in the presence of God.

 For a marriage to be sacramental, two baptized persons, at least one being Catholic...

  1. Freely enter into a vowed commitment of respect, reverence and love.
  2.  Make this promise for a lifetime.
  3.  Promise fidelity.
  4.  And include an openness to bearing children, providing for their good and bringing them up in the faith.

The exchange of promises between the bride and groom is a commitment to one another for life, even as God is faithful. Thus the couple’s love and pledge of fidelity becomes a sign of God’s love for God’s people. This powerful promise speaks to all assembled.

The priest and/or the deacon, the families of the couple, the attendants and the assembled gathering of friends witness what the bride and groom promise.

 St. Joseph Holding Baby Jesus                                                     Mary Praying
  

Congratulations on your engagement! The staff at St. John the Evangelist Church welcomes you and is delighted that you will be celebrating your wedding with God and with your faith community.

First Steps

Before you book your reception please contact Deacon David to set up an appointment. Both the bride-to-be and groom-to-be must be present at this appointment. Deacon David and his wife will review the process with both of you and reserve your wedding date.

At this meeting, the following will be needed:

  1. Baptismal Certificate - For those who were baptized in the Catholic Church, you will need your baptismal certificate. Call the church you were baptized at and ask for an updated baptismal certificate that is stamped with the church seal and notations listed. For those baptized outside of the Catholic Church, a copy of your original baptismal certificate is required.
  2. Deposit of $100.00 - The rest of the fees will be discussed at the first meeting.

Other Requirements:

  1. Pre-Cana - Pre-Cana is a program that helps those preparing for marriage within the Church. Married volunteer couples along with priests, deacons and religious share their own experiences with matters of spirituality, values, and practical matters to aid engaged couples in contemplating their readiness for the Holy Sacrament of Marriage.
  2. FOCCUS Inventory - an acronym for "Facilitating Open Couple Communication, Understanding and Study," is an internationally used instrument for marriage preparation. It is self-diagnostic and designed to help couples learn more about themselves and their unique relationship. It provides individualized couple feedback on where each partner stands in regard to topic areas important to marriage. FOCCUS was developed to reflect the values and ideals of marriage as sacred.