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Marriage Introduction & Policy
Dear Engaged
Couple,
Congratulations on your engagement. We are so very happy that you
have decided to celebrate your love through the Sacrament of
Marriage in the Catholic Church.
Your
union is so sacred because it is the symbol of the union between
Christ and the Church. Your commitment is sacred because it is
the sign of Christ’s commitment to us, the Church. The Church
reminds us: “Married Christians, in virtue of the Sacrament of
Matrimony, signify and share in the mystery of that unity and
fruitful love which exists between Christ and the Church…” Your
preparation for marriage began at the moment of your baptism and
has continued through the years of your faith formation and now
the Lord has brought you to this point.
I
urge you to spiritually prepare for the sacrament by taking time
for reflection and prayer. Besides all the many details of
planning your wedding, do not neglect to prepare your spirit for
the sacrament. Know that I and the entire staff are at your
service and will help you every step of the way.
May
Christ who was a guest at the Wedding Feast of Cana, be the
treasured guest at your own wedding and the constant guest in your
home.
In Christ
Jesus,
Rev. Joseph C.
Tizio, C.Ss.R.
Pastor
PRACTICAL PARISH NORMS
FOR THE CELEBRATION OF THE SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE
Do not make any arrangements for the
reception
before seeing a priest at St. Clement’s
Holy Scripture affirms that a man and a woman were
created for one another:” It is not good that the man should be
alone.” The
woman, “flesh of his flesh,” his equal, his nearest in all things,
is given to him by God as a “helpmate”; she thus represents God
from whom comes our help. “Therefore a man leaves his father and
his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh.”
The Lord himself shows that this signifies an unbreakable union of
their two lives by recalling what the plan of the Creator had been
“in the beginning”: “So they are no longer two, but one
flesh.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church
# 1605)
1.
ST.
CLEMENT’S MEMBERSHIP --
As in all the sacraments, the Sacrament of Marriage
is always celebrated in the context of the Christian Community.
Therefore, one of the parties must be a registered,
practicing Catholic residing in St. Clement’s Parish for at least
a year prior to the wedding date or have a parent who lives in the
geographical area of St. Clement’s and attends St. Clement’s
regularly, provided all other requirements are in order.
2.
MARRIAGE DATE -- The date for the
marriage will be finalized based on the following:
·
An interview with the pastor or one of the priests.
· The
couple agrees to attend the required Diocesan Programs:
Pre-Cana or Engaged
Encounter.
3.
BAPTISMAL CERTIFICATE – If you
are a Catholic (not baptized at St. Clement’s), you are required
to obtain, from the church where you were baptized, a copy of your
Baptismal certificate dated within six months prior to the
marriage.
4.
WEDDING DAY AND TIMES –
·
Friday evenings at 5:00 P.M. or Saturday at 11
a.m., 1:00, 5:30 or 6:00 p.m.
· Weddings
during the Lenten Season are discouraged.
· Nuptial
Masses are prohibited during Lent.
· Weddings
can not be scheduled for Sunday.
5.
REHEARSAL – Depending on the
wedding schedule, rehearsals will be held:
·
Thursday evenings at 5:30 or 6:00 p.m. or Friday
evenings at 5:00 or 6:00
p.m.
(If there is a Friday wedding – rehearsals will be at 4:00 or 7:00
p.m.)
· All
rehearsals are limited to one half hour
· On
the evening of the rehearsal the couple is required to bring:
o
The
license
o
The
Church offering
o
The
organist stipend
· All
donations and documents should be given to the person conducting
the rehearsal.
· Make
sure the entire wedding party is
there on time. Remind them that the
wedding is a sacred moment and to
conduct themselves accordingly.
Because we normally have several
rehearsals on one night, you are limited to
only the time for which you are
scheduled. It is your responsibility to make
sure the wedding party is on time and
ready to begin the practice. If there
is a visiting priest, our sacristan
will be present at the rehearsal to facilitate
and familiarize the visitor with the
church and wedding procedure. Please
remind the visiting priest of the
necessity to keep to the designated times
for both the rehearsal and the
wedding.
6.
MUSIC
ARRANGEMENTS – Please call the
Music Director, Jeff Stein (877-6442) at least two months before
the wedding for an appointment. Liturgical music and all other
arrangements will be discussed. The fee is $150 for the organist
and $100 for the soloist.
7.
THE
CHURCH OFFERING for all weddings
is $200. This includes the offering for the use of the Church.
8.
FLOWERS – are optional for the
wedding. However:
· We
ask the couple not to take the flowers from the church to the
reception.
· If
there is a second wedding that day, we encourage the brides to get
together for the cost of the flowers.
· No
ribbons, candles, etc. are to be fastened to benches by means of
tape, wire or metal fasteners.
· Nothing
is to be placed on either of the Altars.
· Flower
girls must not drop flower petals (real or fake) down the aisle.
· A
runner is permitted although not recommended. If the florist
inquires about
the length for your runner, the aisle is 70
feet long.
9.
PHOTOGRAPHER/VIDEO PERSON – The
following information must be shared
with above people before the rehearsal. Because of some
difficulty in the past with
photographers and video people, the following norms are in
effect:
· The photographer/video person can take pictures up front as the
entrance
procession begins. At all other times
during the ceremony the
photographer/video person must remain
at least 10 benches from the
sanctuary area. At no time will the
photographer or video person be allowed
to move around the church during the
ceremony.
· No video equipment will be allowed in the
Sanctuary area, even if it is just
running unattended. Because of the
sanctity of the Sanctuary area we ask
that the pictures only be taken in the
area where the wedding occurred.
· We permit you to stay
up to one half hour after the ceremony. This time
may be used for a receiving line or
for photographs.
10.
AFTER THE CEREMONY –
·
You are permitted to stay up to one
half hour after the ceremony. This time
may be used for a receiving line or
for photographs.
· As
pictures are being taken, the bride or groom should assign two of
the
ushers to clean up the major items
from the church after the wedding. That
means if there is a runner please put
it in the sacristy (behind the altar),
along with any remaining programs used
for the ceremony, empty flower
cartons, etc.
11.
INTER-FAITH WEDDINGS –
Normally there is no Mass when the couple to be
married
share different religions. There are a number of reasons for this
norm, including the
reception of Holy Communion. The ordinary regulations are that
only a Catholic in
good standing is allowed to receive the Eucharist. We ask for
your cooperation and
understanding in this matter.
12.
FINAL NOTE –
Please inform family and friends that:
· The throwing of rice,
confetti, birdseed, etc., either within or outside the
church is not allowed.
· Beverages
or food are not permitted in the Church.
Thank you for your cooperation.
EFFECTIVE: August 2007
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