Marriage
The Sacrament of Marriage, is a sacrament by which a baptized man and woman establish between themselves a lifelong partnership for their mutual good and for the procreation and education of children. Please Contact the Parish Office To make an appointment.
“But at the beginning of creation God made them male and female. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife; And the two will become one flesh; so they are no longer two, but one.
Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate” (Mark 10:6-9).
Marriage is a sacrament which the bride and groom administer to each other. The priest, as official representative of the Church, is the chief witness to the sacrament. By being a sacrament, marriage must be a permanent union: “What God has joined no one must separate” (Mark 10:9). The Sacrament of Marriage is more than a legal contract; it is the mystical joining of two individuals into one. In order for the Sacrament of Marriage to be valid, the bride and groom must understand fully the union that they are entering. Both the bride and groom must enter marriage with the understanding that it is a lifelong commitment.
Steps in Wedding Preparation
1. Pre-Martial Investigation (PMI): A meeting with the Priest or Deacon should be scheduled no later than 6 months before the date of the Wedding. Please contact the Parish Office to schedule this meeting.
Couples should bring recent copies of Baptismal Certificates. Baptismal certificates can be obtained by calling the church in which your Baptism took place. If the Baptism took place at St. Barnabas Church, St. Frances Cabrini Church, or St. Therese Church you need not get copy. A record of all other sacraments you have received should also be brought to this meeting.
2. Engaged Couple Conference: All couples will need to attend an Engaged Couple Conference. Conferences are held several times throughout the year at different locations in the Archdiocese of Hartford. (Dates and locations will be given out at the PMI meeting.)
3. FACET Survey: No later than 1 month before the wedding date, couples will need to make an appointment to take the FACET Survey. Through a variety of questions, this survey allows couples the chance to reflect upon important issues that will become a part of their married lives. After the survey is completed it is sent out to be compiled.
4. FACET Review and Liturgy Planning: Once the results of the FACET Survey are returned to the church, you will be contacted and an appointment to review the survey will need to be scheduled.
In addition to the FACET review, couples will use this meeting to plan their Wedding Liturgy. (Please bring the “Together for Life” booklet to this meeting.)
5. Wedding Rehearsal: The wedding rehearsal usually takes place the night before the Wedding at a time convenient for the couple and the church staff. The rehearsal should be scheduled at the PMI meeting.
Miscellaneous Information
Flowers: It is up to the bride and groom to supply flowers for their wedding. Please make arrangements ahead of time if you will be using them. It would be greatly appreciated if the flowers used at the church could be left there to be used as decorations for the weekend Masses.
Runner: The runner is optional. If couples decide to use a runner it is their responsibility to supply it.
Music: The music of the Wedding Ceremony should reflect the Sacrament of Marriage. Because the ceremony is taking place in a sacred space and usually as part of a Mass, only appropriate sacred music will be permitted. All questions regarding music should be directed to the organist.
Wedding Programs: Programs for the wedding ceremony are optional. It is up to the bride and groom to create their own programs for the ceremony.