Marriage

Marriage is a sacred covenant in which a man and a woman freely enter into a lifelong partnership, united in love and open to life. In the Catholic Church, marriage is not only a civil commitment but also a sacrament—a visible sign of God’s love and grace in the world (CCC 1601).

What Is Marriage?

Marriage is a vocation in which a couple becomes a sign of Christ’s love for the Church (CCC 1616).

Through the sacrament, spouses receive grace to love each other selflessly, support one another, and build a family rooted in faith.

Marriage Preparation

Firstly, congratulations on your decision to get married! The preparation for the Marriage may seem daunting at first, but we will guide you in that preparation.

While you strictly only need to give three months’ notice of your intention to marry, it is common practice for a couple to book the church well in advance. Therefore, it is essential to contact the Parish Office to confirm that the church is available on your chosen date. You will also need to consider taking part in a marriage preparation course, which is a lovely way for you as a couple to reflect on your relationship. The Civil Authorities also have requirements that must be met.

The following information may be helpful:

Contact the Parish Office of the bride at least three months before the date you plan to marry to book your wedding and arrange to meet the priest. The couple’s meetings with their priest are a key part of the preparation process. These meetings have gained new importance in recent times because it can no longer be assumed that seeking a Church wedding reflects Christian faith on the part of one or both partners. These meetings are an opportunity for a couple to reflect on what Christian marriage asks of them.

The priest will also start filling out Pre-Nuptial Enquiry Forms and advise you on the documents you need to gather. You will have to obtain a new copy of the Certificate of Baptism from the parish where you were baptised and a Certificate of Confirmation from the parish where you were confirmed. These documents should be issued no less than six months before the date of marriage.

If you have lived somewhere else, other than your current parish, since you were sixteen, then the priest will be able to help you with the necessary paperwork to ensure your right to marry.

Freedom to marry: The regulations surrounding the freedom to marry in the Catholic Church can be complex. The best advice when one partner has been previously married (either civilly or religiously) is to avoid making plans until you have spoken to the priest and the diocesan office has been consulted.

Mixed Marriages: Full Church recognition requires special permission for marriages between a Catholic and a baptised Christian from a different tradition or an unbaptised person. The diocesan office processes applications once the priest of the Catholic party has submitted the usual paperwork.

It is recommended and expected that all couples planning to marry should attend a Pre-Marriage Course. You can obtain information about pre-marriage courses from the Parish Office or contact “ACCORD” at least 7/8 months before the date of the marriage.

The marriage ceremony should usually take place in the bride’s Parish Church. If the couple has a valid reason for marrying elsewhere, the bride must obtain permission from the priest in the parish where she currently resides to get married outside her parish. Clearly, in this scenario, the couple will need to arrange for the use of the church in the parish where they plan to marry.

Usually, a priest from the bride’s parish officiates at the wedding ceremony, assuming the ceremony takes place in the bride’s parish. If you prefer another priest (for example, a relative or friend) to officiate, inform the priest in the parish where the ceremony will be held, and he will provide the necessary authorisation. Under Civil Law, it is now a legal requirement for the Officiant (the priest who officiates at the marriage) to be listed on the ‘List of Officiants’ submitted by each local Bishop to the Registrar-General.

Celebrants from outside Northern Ireland: All priests in Northern Ireland are listed on the ‘List of Officiants’. To include a priest from outside Northern Ireland on this list temporarily, he must complete a Nomination of Visiting Priest (Officiant) form and submit it to the Diocesan Office. The Office will then contact both the officiating priest and the parish priest where the wedding will take place to formalise arrangements. The parish priest can provide you with this form.

Ask the priest who will officiate at your wedding to help you prepare your marriage ceremony. There are various prayers, blessings, readings, etc. Read through these together and choose the ones you prefer. Decide who will read at Mass, who will read the Prayers of the Faithful, and who will bring up the gifts at the Offertory. Rehearse the ceremony in church with the priest before the wedding day.

Celebrating the sacrament of marriage does not necessarily require the celebration of the Eucharist (Mass). Although it has traditionally been customary, it may not always be appropriate, such as when a couple do not practice their faith regularly or are in a “mixed” marriage. Today, some couples find that a marriage ceremony without the Eucharist is more suitable for them.

Marriages on Sundays, Holy Days, and certain specific Church Feasts (such as Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, St Patrick’s Day, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and the Feast of All Souls) are not permitted in this Diocese.

If you have any further questions regarding your Church Ceremony, please get in touch with the Parish Office. You may also find the following links helpful: http://www.together.ie and http://www.gettingmarried.ie/

Pre-marriage Courses

All couples planning to marry are expected to attend a marriage preparation course. These courses are organised and delivered by married couples and offer a wonderful opportunity for you as a couple to reflect on your relationship. This is a dedicated time for yourselves, and it will be truly worthwhile.

For further information about Pre-Marriage Courses, they can be booked online at the Accord website: http://www.accordni.com.

State Requirements for Marriage

Requirements for Civil Registration Northern Ireland (Marriage Schedule)

The Marriage (Northern Ireland) Order 2003 came into effect on 1 January 2004. This law has altered the process of registering church weddings in Northern Ireland.

Along with completing their Pre-Nuptial Enquiry for the Church, couples must now notify the local registrar of their intention to marry.

Notice can be given up to a year before the marriage date; however, it is advisable to give eight to ten weeks’ notice. Notice must be given no later than 30 days before the wedding date, but if you leave it this late, you might have to postpone your marriage.

To give notice to the registrar, couples should obtain a Marriage Notice Application Form (one for each person) from the Registrar’s office at the local County Council Office. After filling out theseforms (the Registrar provides detailed instructions), you should bring them to the celebrant who will officiate at your wedding so he can sign them. Please note: if the celebrant is a deacon, visiting from a religious order or from outside the Diocese of Down & Connor, he may need to obtain temporary registration. Please speak to the Parish Office about this. Once you have returned the forms to the local Registrar (within the Church’s Council Area and they are satisfied that you are both free to marry, they will, no more than 14 days before the wedding, issue a Marriage Schedule to the couple.

The Marriage Schedule is very important; if the celebrant does not have this document, your wedding CANNOT take place. You should give it to him or leave it in the Parish Office before the wedding, ideally on the day you pick it up from the Registrar or at the rehearsal.

After the wedding ceremony, the Marriage Schedule will be signed by the couple, the witnesses, and the celebrant. The Celebrant will return it to you immediately after the wedding; you should arrange to have it delivered to the Registrar’s Office within 3 days of your marriage, either in person or by post. Further advice is available from the Registrar’s Office and their website.

Other Circumstances

Couples getting married in the Republic of Ireland need to contact the Civil Registrar of the district where the marriage will take place. Further details can be obtained from the parish where the wedding is to occur. If the marriage is to take place abroad, or if either of you is living abroad or is a foreign national subject to immigration control, please contact the parish to ensure that both Church and civil documents are in order. For weddings in Rome, visit:

http://www.irishcollege.org/Pagine/Weddings/WeddingsHome.htm

If you have any further questions regarding your Church Ceremony, please contact the Parish Office.