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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
Sacred Scripture begins with the creation and union of man and woman and ends with “the wedding feast of the Lamb” (Rev 19:7, 9). Scripture often refers to marriage, its origin and purpose, the meaning God gave to it, and its renewal in the covenant made by Jesus with his Church.
The Sacrament of Marriage is a covenant, which is more than a contract. Covenant always expresses a relationship between persons. The marriage covenant refers to the relationship between the husband and wife, a permanent union of persons capable of knowing and loving each other and God.
Engaged?
Congratulations! Couple wishing to be married at St. Hyacinth need to contact the parish 6-9 months before their desired date. Couple are required to participate in a preparation program which will be explained at the initial meetings with the pastoral staff.
For additional information please download our marriage preparation manual (PDF) or contact our staff.
Convalidation?
Circumstances Requiring Special Attention
The Pastor of the parish is available to witness Christian marriage in the Sacrament of Matrimony. However, he is not available for “Church Weddings.” The difference between the two is that the Sacrament of Matrimony presumes an active faith life, whereas a “Church Wedding” can merely be using the church as a pretty setting for the event.
When a Catholic is not practicing their faith, serious consideration needs to be given to their motive for seeking to be married in the Church. Is there a true desire to enter into the Sacrament of Matrimony? Is the requisite active faith present for establishing a true and valid sacrament? Or is it to meet the expectations of family members?
Civilly Married Couples: If a Catholic has entered a civil marriage (one witnessed by a Justice of the Peace) or non-Catholic marriage (one witnessed by a minister of another Christian church), a validation of the marriage (called “convalidation”) is permitted after the couple has completed the appropriate preparation process.
Cohabitating Couples: Cohabitation (“living together in a sexual relationship without marriage”) in and of itself does not preclude Christian marriage. Sometimes, couples who come for marriage preparation are in a cohabiting relationship. Within our secular culture, cohabitation has become a generally perceived and accepted stepping stone to marriage and is set within a context of widespread sexual activity outside of marriage.
Cohabitation is not marriage nor is it a good preparation for marriage. In fact, an increasing body of secular research on the phenomenon of “trial marriage” indicates that cohabitation may even contribute to marriage failure. In addition, cohabitation is a practice that seriously undermines the wisdom of Church teachings and tradition about sacramental marriage and sexual morality.
As a part of the preparation process, cohabitating couples will be given additional material which addresses their situation for specific consideration.
Please note that it is up to the discretion of the Pastor to decide if the ceremony for civilly married couples or cohabitating couples will be with the Liturgy of the Word only and presided by a Deacon, or will be with the celebration of the Eucharist and presided by a Priest.
Couples With a Previous Marriage:If one or both of the parties has been previously married (either in a religious or civil ceremony), the marriage preparation process cannot begin in full until a decree of nullity for or a dispensation from the previous marriage has been declared. Please discuss this as soon as possible with the Priest / Deacon. No wedding date can be set until both parties are free to marry in the Catholic Church.
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St Hyacinth Wedding Contract