The sacrament of Matrimony signifies the union of Christ and the Church. It gives spouses the grace to love each other with the love with which Christ has loved his Church; the grace of the sacrament thus perfects the human love of the spouses, strengthens their indissoluble unity, and sanctifies them on the way to eternal life.
Catechism of the Catholic Church #1661
Congratulations on your engagement!
Sacred Scripture begins with the creation and union of man and woman and ends with “the wedding feast of the Lamb” (Rev 19:7, 9). Like God’s relationship with His people, the Sacrament of Marriage is a covenant, which is more than a contract. By entering into the Sacrament of Marriage, you join your lives in a permanent bond of love which shares in the spousal love of Christ for His Church. The mutual love of husband and wife bound together in the Sacrament of Marriage and the subsequent fruit of this love, children and family, are the basic building blocks of any society and are indispensable to its health and well-being.
Since marriage is such an awesome sacrament, and is your unique path to holiness, we’d like to help you prepare well to live the commitment you will make to God and one another on the day of your wedding. You can learn more about the marriage preparation process, or fill out the marriage inquiry form if you would like to begin the process of marriage preparation at St. Mary’s. Please note that preparation for marriage must begin at least six months before the wedding date, and no date can be set until you meet with the priest or deacon.
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