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Saint Clare Parish 714 Myrth Avenue Essex, Maryland 21221
Marriage Preparation
Marriage Couples preparing for marriage should contact the rectory at least 6 months in advance of desired date. All couples are required to attend a Marriage Preparation Program. PREPARATION FOR MARRIAGE Your personal preparation is crucial for the success of your marriage. Your family and friends, the priest and the Church as a whole have a responsibility to support you in these preparations. Realizing that you have already begun to think about (your personal relationship), the church has developed a formal preparation required of every couple seeking to be married. This will assist you in exploring those issues in even greater depth. The priest or deacon you have selected will be your principal advisor in the formal marriage preparation process. Therefore, you should contact this priest or deacon at least six months before your proposed wedding date. If you plan to be married in a church other than your own parish, or if the priest or deacon whom you have asked to officiate is NOT a member of your parish staff, you should also contact one of your parish priests. The priest or deacon who is to assist you in preparing for marriage will give a general overview of the entire preparation period and settle on a schedule of the steps to be taken that is convenient for all concerned. There are five elements in this preparation process. 1. The Sacramental Preparation: This should be the subject of your personal and mutual prayer and reflection. It will also be a part of the second step.2. The Personal Preparation : You need to select a marriage preparation program from among those certified by the Archdiocese of Baltimore, Marriage Preparation and Enrichment office. These are the Pre-Cana Conferences, Sponsor Couple Program (parish based), Remarriage Preparation Program (for couples where one or both have been married previously), and the Engaged Encounter Weekends. For additional information, please contact the Marriage Preparation and Enrichment office, (410) 547-5417.3. The Legal Preparation: Civil law requires that the parties present a license valid from the city or county where the marriage is to take place to the clergyman who officiates. The universal law of the Catholic Church requires that parties respond to a pre-marriage questionnaire and furnish certain documents mentioned, including (for Catholic parties) a baptismal certificate of recent date (i.e., within six months of the proposed marriage). The priest or deacon assisting you will present the questionnaire and guide you in obtaining the documents that may be needed.4. The Liturgical Preparation : The priest or deacon will explain the requirements, suggest many options for you to consider, and will work with you in planning a wedding that will reflect both the rich traditions of the Catholic Church, as well as, your own personal taste.5. The Practical Preparation : You will need to reserve a time at the church and make arrangements regarding the music for your wedding. (This should be done before you make arrangements for the wedding reception.) National, local, and familial customs for the marriage ceremony may also need to be considered. In these matters your families and friends can be of great assistance.As you can see from the above, you have a great deal of work to do in preparation for your wedding and marriage. While special arrangements can be made because of particular problems, this entire process usually requires a minimum of six months to complete and usually involves at least three meetings between you and the priest or deacon you have chosen. At least one meeting should take place after the formal marriage preparation program and should include a discussion of any questions that arose during that program. To request a copy of Marriage in the Lord: Preparing for Marriage in the Church, Archdiocese of Baltimore, contact the Marriage Preparation and Enrichment office, 320 Cathedral Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, call (410) 547-5417. The above information was taken from the Booklet "Marriage in the Lord, Preparing for Marriage in the Church Archdiocese of Baltimore".
What is Marriage Encounter? More information on our web site concerning Marriage:
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