Congratulations on your recent engagement! Preparation for a wedding in the Catholic Church is an exciting time. Matrimony is one of the seven sacraments and one of the two Sacraments at the Service of Communion, along with Holy Orders, intended for the salvation of others, primarily your future spouse. This is a blessing and responsibility worth adequate preparation.
Marriage is lifelong, faithful, and fruitful. Marriage has two purposes: the unity of the spouses and the gift of children. Couples open to both purposes receive the sacramental grace on their wedding day to declare “I do” to one another every day after. Marriage preparation at Saint James the Apostle Church takes seriously the responsibility to help you receive the Sacrament of Matrimony not just for one day but for a lifetime.
Please note that marriage preparation at St. James the Apostle takes at least 7-9 months to complete. We ask that, if possible, couples wishing to be prepared for marriage here contact us nine to twelve months in advance of their desired wedding date. Exceptions, however, can be made for individual situations. Please contact us even if you have a tighter timeline, and we will work with you to see what is possible. (Diocesan policy requires a minimum of six months of marriage preparation. If you contact us less than six months before your desired wedding date, we are not permitted to prepare you for marriage unless you move your wedding date.)
Our new marriage preparation program, Witness to Love, is designed to help engaged couples grow in virtue and in understanding of the Church’s teachings on sacramental marriage. After an initial meeting with church staff, the Witness to Love program begins with the engaged couple choosing a mentor couple to walk with them on this journey. The engaged couple then meets monthly with their mentor couple to learn virtues and skills for a happy marriage. The mentor couple will become a support for the engaged couple throughout their marriage.
If you are interested in learning more about the program, please click on this link:
If you would like to learn more about what the Witness to Love process looks like here at St. James the Apostle, or how to choose a mentor couple, please click this link:
We are excited about Witness to Love not only for the benefits it will bring to our engaged couples, but also the enrichment for married couples in our parish as they help engaged couples grow. Would you be interested in being a mentor couple? If so, please let Hannah Bernstein know! Sharing your marriage with an engaged couple is a wonderful way for your marriage to bear fruit.
The information on our website will hopefully answer most, if not all, of your questions. Please see our Marriage Preparation Policies below for all of our wedding policies and a preparation checklist. The first step on your marriage prep journey is to complete our initial inquiry form (see link below). We will then contact you about scheduling our first meeting to start the preparation process. If you should have questions or concerns regarding your wedding and marriage preparation as you complete this process, please contact our Sacramental Coordinator, Hannah Bernstein. In the meantime, please know of our prayers for you as you begin this exciting journey.
Policies and Forms
FAQs
We are getting married elsewhere. Can we still take part in the Witness to Love program? Yes! We are willing to prepare couples for marriage elsewhere, as space and time allow. Please contact Hannah Bernstein for more details.
What if we are already civilly married? We can help you prepare for the convalidation (validation in the Catholic Church) of your marriage. Please contact Hannah Bernstein for more details.
St. James the Apostle Parish 