Marriage
God who created man out of love also calls him to love the fundamental and innate vocation of every human being. For man is created in the image and likeness of God who is himself love. Since God created him man and woman, their mutual love becomes an image of the absolute and unfailing love with which God loves man. It is good, very good, in the Creator’s eyes, and this love which God blesses is intended to be fruitful and to be realized in the common work of watching over creation: and God blessed them, and God said to them: Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it.
Congratulations on your engagement!
The first thing to keep in mind about your wedding is that it is a liturgical celebration, that is, the public celebration of the sacrament of marriage in the church. Therefore, it must adhere to the approved liturgical texts and the guidelines described in the Marriage Ritual.
For general information on planning a wedding, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has prepared this RESOURCE where you will discover many possibilities to make your day unique and beautiful.
The music must be Sacred, based on biblical or liturgical texts, and accessible, that is, easily sung and prayed by the congregation.
Before you print any program for your wedding, be sure to send a copy to the parish priest.
Now what do we need to do?
- CALL YOUR PARISH (9-12 months before the wedding) Call as soon as you commit! A member of the parish staff will schedule a meeting with you to discuss your wedding preparations as soon as possible.
- INITIAL MEETING (9 months before the wedding) At this meeting, you will learn about the formation process for the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony, the paperwork needed for your marriage, and setting a tentative wedding date.
- INVENTORY OF THE COUPLE (7-8 months before the wedding) The inventory will provide them with a personalized profile of your relationship. Your parish will arrange this for you, and after it is complete, they will help you schedule the follow-up session to go over your results.
- MEETINGS WITH THE MENTOR COUPLE (7-8 months before the wedding) Your mentor couple will accompany you in your training. You will have several meetings with them in the lead up to your wedding, and they will continue to be your support for years to come!
- MARRIAGE FORMATION RETREAT (6-7 months before the wedding) This weekend retreat will be an opportunity for you to learn more about the topics you have discussed with your pastor and mentor couple, with a special focus on the theology of Catholic marriage and other teachings of our Catholic faith. The schedule of the retreat will be published on the website of the ST. PHILIP INSTITUTE.
- NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING (5-6 months before the wedding) NFP respects the loving and life-giving purpose of marriage, and enriches the bond between husband and wife. This course gives couples a natural approach to understanding the cycles of fertility and infertility. Course listings can be found on the Office of Office of Family Life website.
- FINAL MEETING (2 months before the wedding) At this meeting we will summarize your previous preparation, complete all your paperwork, and plan your wedding liturgy. You are already approaching the celebration of this beautiful Sacrament!
- SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION (1 week before the wedding)
Catholics preparing for the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony are encouraged to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Reconciliation and the Eucharist are invaluable sources of grace and healing. Celebrate this sacrament with your future spouse!
Contact the parish office to schedule your appointment at (903) 483 2500
Witness to love
“Due to the intense attacks on marriage in our society, it is imperative that we enhance our efforts to build and cultivate strong Christian marriages in our Diocese. The preparation and ongoing support we give couples who marry is, perhaps, the most important project we will start”.
What is witness to Love?
It is a marriage formation program that seeks to integrate couples with their parish through the help of couples, counselors, and various online resources.
The key and innovation of Testimony of Love is that it offers the opportunity to couples committed to contracting Holy Matrimony, the possibility of choosing their own mentor couple.
This is a couple that they both admire, trust, and see as a source of faith formation. By sharing this marriage journey both the mentoring couple and the engaged couple can find a “lifeline” of support in their commitment to Jesus and his Church.
