Getting Married

Marriage Preparation at St.Viator's Parish

Notice of 6 months to a year is to be given to the priest before the date of marriage of two practicing Catholics.
No date can be set, if there are any complications (one or both of the parties under the age of 19, a previous marriage, etc.)

You are planning to spend the rest of your lives together in the love of marriage. Every step then, must be taken to insure your happiness and a good knowledge of your duties and responsibilities. To this end, the church offers a marriage preparation courses, and it is required that you will avail yourselves of this opportunity to grow together in love. The instruction should be received considerably in advance of the marriage date, lest other preparations, parties, etc. make concentration and even attendance difficult.
Our Marriage preparation is an opportunity for you and your future spouse to spend some uninterrupted time helping to insure that your life together has the best start. Mentoring couples using "For Better & For Ever" emphasize an approach for the Sacrament of Marriage in the Catholic tradition. Sessions concentrate on the foundational skills for marriage; building on: communications, decision making, marriage, morality, finances, sexuality, and spirituality.
Mentor couples assist in the preparation of couples entering into the Sacrament of Marriage. Attendance by both partners at all sessions is a requirement in order to completely fulfill the Church's requirement for Marriage Preparation.
For information contact your pastor.

Baptism certificates must be presented. The certificate of the Catholic should be dated not more than six months before the wedding date.
If the marriage is to take place outside the parish of the bride or groom, a letter of permission from the pastor of the bride/groom is required.
A Marriage License is always necessary.
There are a number of forms to be filled in by the priest both for the government and for the church. It is important to do these early in the preparation.
If one or both parties are not known to the pastor, one person for each party will be required to fill in forms of witnessing to the fact that the party they know is free to marry. They must have known the person for whom they witness at least a good number of years. They may be either relatives or friends.
If one of the parties is not Catholic, a dispensation is required from the Archbishop and more preparation will be necessary to assure a common understanding of Christian marriage.