First Meeting / Completion of Forms
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Contact Us
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lnauertzcatholicdos.orgAssociate Director of Evangelization & Missionary Discipleship
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Step 1 - First MeetingBefore setting the wedding date
After you become engaged, you should contact your parish as soon as possible and set up a meeting with a priest or deacon to assist you in your marriage preparation. The Church wants your marriage to be successful and to be a source of happiness and blessing throughout your lives. This meeting and the subsequent steps will assist in that goal!
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WhatThis meeting is a time to begin the process of completing the necessary forms. During this initial meeting, the priest or deacon will determine if you and your fiance(e) are free to marry in the Church (i.e., confirm than no canonical impediments exist). He will also provide you with the information you need to complete Steps 2 through 6 of the marriage preparation process. Establishing a schedule for the completion of the individual components during or shortly after this meeting is advised.
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Where
Your wedding liturgy and your preparation for marriage ordinarily take place in the parish in which at least one of you is resident. IMPORTANT - If the marriage will not take place at the parish where one or both of the engaged are registered, due to the location of family and friends,
- the pastor(s) of their parish(es) must be notified of the couple’s plans for marriage
- The pastor(s) must give permission for the wedding to take place in another church
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Engagement Blessing
Following the engagement announcement, your parish may provide an opportunity for your family and members of the parish community to affirm your decision to marry through an engagement blessing.
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Setting Wedding Date
Since it may become necessary to delay the wedding at any time, a couple should not establish a wedding date or send out invitations until they have been instructed to do so by the priest/deacon who will be presiding at their wedding.
For a just cause, a marriage can be delayed. Common causes include:- non-practice of the faith by the Catholic with no intention of practicing the faith after marriage, substantial lack of appreciation of the spiritual aspects of marriage,
- refusal to cooperate in the marriage preparation process and
- unmet obligations to a person or children arising from a prior union.
Appeal Process: If your marriage is delayed, you may ask to have your situation reviewed by the designated diocesan office or agency. The recommendations arising from the appeal process shall be referred to the bishop or his delegate for final determination in a timely and strictly confidential manner.
If a delay is recommended, you will be offered resources to help you remove the cause(s) of delay, and you will be advised of the process of appeal.