Because marriage is a sacrament of the Church, all Catholics are required to work with the Church on planning and preparing for their wedding and their future marriage.
For Engaged Couples Please arrange with the parish nine months in advance to plan your wedding. All couples will participate in a Diocesan Pre-Marriage Preparation Program.
For Those who are separated or divorced The Church recognizes for serious reasons that a person may need to separate from their spouse, which may even include a civil divorce. This does not necessarily separate the person from the sacraments or being in good standing in the Church when done for a sufficiently grave reason. It does not however permit the person from entering into a new civil marriage or cohabiting relationship.
A person who has gone through a separation and divorce can contact the Church to examine the possibility of an annulment. This is not a "Catholic divorce" but rather an examination to determine if there may have been an impediment that prevented a marriage bond from being properly formed in the first place. Please contact Fr. Jeremy for more information or to begin the process.
For those currently married outside of the Church If you have already entered into a marriage outside of the Church without permission, your marriage is not recognized and you are unable to serve as a sponsor or godparent or receive the Eucharist. However, Fr. Jeremy is happy to work with you to examine your marital situation in the light of the Church's teaching and see what the current possibilities are for you moving forward. Please reach out to him or the parish office to set up an appointment.