Marriage is the sacrament by which Christ Jesus joins a man and a woman in a life-giving and permanent union. In the Catholic faith, marriage is considered a sacrament-sign made sacred by Christ to show His presence in the world and to help all people reach a closer union with God. This sacrament of marriage asks the couple to enter into a loving covenant with God and one another and to live faithfully as one forever.
Requirements:
* Contact one of the priests or deacons as early as possible & not less than 6 months prior to any intended wedding date.
* Only the deacon or priest may set the date with the church office.
* Participating in an approved marriage preparation program is required by the Diocese and parish.
* One of the parties must be a baptized Catholic or have made a Profession of faith if baptized previously in another Christian religion. A Catholic may marry a non-Catholic but the Catholic must make a commitment to share their Catholic Faith with their children.
* Be a practicing Catholic with a strong faith commitment. This means that if one has been away from the church, that person needs to do all that is possible to grow to the point where his or her faith is a value in life and an essential element, not just an occasional happening.
* Be free to marry. This means that if someone has been married previously, that person should see a priest or deacon concerning procedures for annulment. The Church looks at all intentions of marriage as permanent, so the one who was married before should begin the process to see if there was an impediment present that prevented him or her from fulfilling the duties of husband and wife.
* Marriage Guidelines for the State of Texas discourages marriages for persons under the age of 18. Couples must be at least 18 years of age and six months out of high school before marriage preparation can begin. As young person goes through tremendous change upon graduation. It is suggested by Marriage Counselors that enough time be given for adequate adjustment to take place.
* The couple or at least the Catholic party of the couple MUST be registered in St. Luke parish and must be an active and contributing member PRIOR to MAKING ARRANGEMENTS FOR MARRIAGE PREPARATION.
Establishment and involvement in the Faith Community are vital parts in the Sacrament of Matrimony. As the couple receives many benefits from the Church, so the Church welcomes what the couple share with the parish.
ST. Luke Wedding Handbook
Sponsor Couple
Marriage Preparation
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