Weddings
Any couple wishing to get married in either the Immaculate Heart church or St Paul the Apostle church will need to come Mass and speak with one of the priests afterwards. The following are some points to bear in mind:
- At least one of you must be a baptised and confirmed Catholic (any Catholic who has not been confirmed will need to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation before the marriage can take place).
- It is nearly always necessary to give at least six months’ notice. This is to make sure that all the civil formalities and spiritual preparations can be completed in good time.
- Church law requires that couples marrying in a Catholic church are well prepared for marriage. This preparation will take the form of meetings with the Parish Priest and/or attendance on a Marriage Preparation Course. The priest will explain the exact form of this preparation at your initial meeting with him.
- You will need to visit the Register Office in the place where each of you lives in order to notify the civil registrar of your intention to marry and to obtain the “Marriage Schedule” without which the priest will not be able to marry you.
- If neither one of you lives in the Parish of St John Vianney (a map of the Parish is available here), you will need the permission of your own Parish Priest to get married in our Parish.
- There is a church fee for weddings, information about this will be explained by the clergy.
Marriage in the Catholic Church is an act of worship to offer thanksgiving and praise to God for his blessing on the couple’s life together as husband and wife. Readings during the wedding liturgy must be taken from Scripture and the music must reflect the Christian meaning of the rite and as such must be sacred, taken from the repertoire of church music. The priest celebrating the wedding will be able to guide you.
