Marriage

A man and a woman make a very serious and sacred commitment when they decide to marry one another in the Catholic Church.  Through the Sacrament of Matrimony, Jesus calls them to draw closer to each other, to their God and to the local faith community.  Marriage is a permanent commitment to a way of life; it requires careful thought, prayer and preparation.

Couples planning to prepare for the Sacrament of Matrimony are required to contact the pastor for an appointment at least nine months prior to the anticipated date.  The date for the marriage is set at the time the engaged couple meets with the pastor.  The engaged couple will also meet with the pastor prior to their wedding after concluding the Pre-Cana sessions.

One of the requirements for marriage in the Catholic Church is that each engaged couple attends an instructional program known as the Pre-Cana Marriage Preparation Program. 

Marriage Preparation Program (Pre-Cana):  a journey of love and faith...

We spend so much time planning our weddings…Marriage Preparation is the gift of time you give yourself to plan your marriage!  Marriage Preparation at St. John’s is a couple-to-couple program consisting of three 3-hour meetings with a sponsor couple, usually at the sponsor couple’s home.  The sponsor couple guides the engaged couple through several reflections about topics including communication between husband and wife; family of origin and how it forms our view of marriage; finances and future planning, and marriage as a Sacrament in the Catholic Church. Said one couple upon completion:  “This was a lot more fun, informative and more comfortable than I thought it would be!”

To begin your marriage preparation at St. John’s Church, call Deborah A. Brown, Pastoral Administrator at 937-6959. Debbie will be your guide through the preparation process and make sure you are ready for Marriage.