The Sacrament of Holy Matrimony (Marriage)
“For this reason a man shall leave [his] father and [his] mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”
Genesis 2:24 (as quoted in Ephesians 5:31)
What is the sacrament of marriage?
“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” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 1601).
How do I receive the sacrament of marriage?
First—congratulations on your engagement!
To receive the sacrament of marriage, couples must meet the following requirements:
Either the bride or groom (or both) must be Catholic
Both parties must be free to marry in the Catholic Church (if one or both persons is divorced, their previous marriage must have been declared null by a Catholic marriage tribunal)
Couples must have known each other for at least 6 months
One or both parties must reside within parish boundaries and/or be registered as a parishioner and attending Mass at Our Lady of Angels for at least 3 months before beginning marriage preparation.
Solid preparation for the Sacrament of Marriage takes time! Whether you are planning to marry at Our Lady of Angels or to do your marriage preparation here, we ask you to contact us at least EIGHT (8) months before your desired wedding date. If you are planning to marry outside the U.S., please let us know since this requires a different timeline.
If you have questions about any of these items, or if you’d like to find out more about Marriage Preparation at Our Lady of Angels, we’d be happy to help! You can reach us by phone at (469) 467-9669.
Resources for Marriage Education and Enrichment
An initiative of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Whether you are married, engaged or dating For Your Marriage offers insights and strategies to help enrich your relationship. For Your Marriage features topics on Dating & Engaged, Parenting & Family, For Every Marriage, Marriage Resource Center, and About Catholic Marriage. Sign up for a monthly newsletter or check out their News & Blog section.
Take a fresh look at your marriage. Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekends could be the weekend for the two of you to reconnect and take a fresh look at your marriage. It is an experience guided by couples and a priest who help you to rediscover your dreams, rekindle your romance and become more aware of God's desire for your marriage. Away from distractions of everyday life, each couple has the time to focus on each other, and learn new ways of communicating more effectively in a private, positive atmosphere. All marriages need effort and nurturing! WWME provides an opportunity for you and your spouse to explore your relationship together and find ways to make it stronger and more fulfilling for a lifetime -- blessings that spill over to your family, friends, and parish community.
This project of the National Healthy Marriage Resource Center provides information for couples in all stages of relationships.
For couples with marriages in need of healing, this program provides a weekend experience where they can reconnect and put their marriages in order again.