Preparation
The wise rule Contact your parish priest at least six months prior to your wedding.
Marrying for the first time.
The Church teaches, and has always taught, that sex before marriage is wrong.
Because of our society’s common practice nowadays this needs to be stated clearly: For all marriages the true preparation is to wait for marriage before living as though already married,
Preparation Course – for all couples.
When you contact the parish priest you will:
- give details of where you were baptized and confirmed
- get details – a brochure – on the various marriage preparation courses
- give details of any previous marriage – to show you are free to marry
- get some helpful material – such as “Together for Life”
Next you book in for a pre-marriage course and give it your best shot. The priest will be sent a notification that you have completed your course.
Ceremony
Coming nearer the wedding date you work with your priest** on the ceremony itself.
There are two basic forms:
- Nuptial Mass : An ideal liturgy for committed Catholics: One not only in the Sacrament of Matrimony but also in the Body and Blood of Christ within the parish community.
- Marriage ceremony – when Mass is not included. This form takes about half an hour whereas the Nuptial Mass takes about an hour.
This proximate preparation includes: the ceremony, getting a license, filling our necessary Church forms and applications, venue preparation, rehearsal time and other details.
** Note that you are free to have an outside priest come to officiate at your marriage.
For pre-marriage course see Catholic Diocese of Auckland – Marriage & Family