About the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony
Congratulations! Best wishes to you on your engagement! Although we do not do “weddings” as such, we do celebrate the sacrament of “Holy Matrimony” in the Catholic Church. What’s the difference? Please check out ForYourMarriage.org to learn more about the sacramental lifestyle of a “Marriage in the Lord.” Then please speak to the priest at the parish where you attend Mass each Sunday for more information about getting married in the Catholic Church. Today there are many different ways of getting married. Thank you for expressing your interest in the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony in the Catholic Church!
Sacramental Preparation. There are three important aspects of preparing for the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony in the Catholic Church.
- Spiritual Preparation involves a workshop for engaged couples as well as pastoral counseling for this holy sacrament.
- Legal Preparation includes obtaining baptismal certificates and filling out other church paperwork for this sacrament.
- Liturgical Preparation goes through the approved options for the rites, readings, vows, and music for this sacrament.
Parish Community. Participation in the life of your parish community is an important context for celebrating the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony in the Catholic Church. In this sacrament, you are privileged to share in the mystery of Christ’s love for his own bride, the Church. For information about the importance of the parish community in your spiritual lives as Catholic Christian believers, please click here. The Sacrament of Matrimony should be celebrated in the church where you attend Mass each Sunday as a regular parishioner. Not an active member of a parish community at this time? For information about parishes near you, please click here. For information about returning to the Catholic faith, please click here. God bless you!
In the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony, a man and a woman enter into a marriage covenant before God’s altar, and receive the blessing of the Church.
As Saint Paul teaches us in his letter to the Ephesians, marriage is a great mystery that reflects the love which Christ has for his bride, the Church.
For more information about embracing a Catholic Christian lifestyle within the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony, please click here.
In this holy sacrament of our faith, a new family begins, and a domestic church is established in a covenant of love and life.