“What God hath put together, let no man put asunder.”
-Matthew 19:6
As you anticipate the joy of your wedding and marriage, we invite you to enter into this marriage preparation process in the Catholic Church as an opportunity to grow individually and as a couple.
“The matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life, is by its nature ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring; this covenant between baptized persons has been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a sacrament.” (CCC 1601)
The grace of the sacrament of Matrimony is intended to perfect the couple’s love and to strengthen their indissoluble unity. By this grace they “help one another to attain holiness in their married life and in welcoming and educating their children.” (CCC 1641)
The Five Elements of Marriage Preparation
Adapted from ADOM Marriage Preparation Information
Contact the parish office at least 6 months in advance so we can assist you in the preparation.
Parish Connection
As soon as you are engaged please contact the parish office to make an appointment with a priest. This meeting will allow you to:
- To get to know another better
- To review the elements of preparation
- To discuss the necessary paperwork required by the Church and by the State.
Marriage Formation
Meeting with a parish priest will guide you through the formation elements and share your experiences
- Fully Engaged Inventory & Discussion – This inventory is designed to help you identify and discuss your expectations for your future together.
- Marriage Preparation Group Program – Camino and Transformed in Love are group programs that cover many topics to help support your marriage.
- Natural Family Planning Class – NFP is the general title for scientific, natural, and moral methods of family planning that can help married couples wither achieve or postpone pregnancies with just reasons
Faith Formation
We invite you to actively participate in St. Timothy, attend Sunday Mass, and to make the sacraments and the Christian faith a foundation of your future together.
Liturgical Formation
When you have completed the other elements of your preparation, the pastor will review your experience and complete all the paperwork for the Church and State. Having completed the elements, he will also discuss your readiness to enter into marriage and will confirm the date and details.
Marriage Enrichment
We encourage you to also be intentional in constantly enriching your relationship after your wedding day. Check the parish bulletin and the Archdiocesan website for a variety of marriage enrichment opportunities.