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Frequently Asked Questions & Answers

• I'm Catholic and am planning to get married
• Is marrying a non-Catholic supported by the Catholic Church?

  1. Although it is recommended that the Sacrament of Matrimony be between two Catholics, the Church does permit marriage of a Catholic with a person of another faith.

     For specifics, please discuss this with the priest by contacting the parish office .

• How do we need to prepare for the sacrament of Matrimony?

  1. The Sacrament of Matrimony has a sacramental preparation process which must be completed before marriage can take place.  The pastor or other priest will explain the process and be the primary leader of your formation.

     Go to the Marriage Preparation web page.

• How far in advance of our proposed wedding date should we contact the church?

  1. Please contact the parish office more than 6 months prior to your planned wedding date.  This allows you to:

     • Confirm that the church is available
     • Confirm that the priest is available
     • Have adequate time for the marriage sacramental preparation process
     • Reserve the parish hall for the reception (if desired)
• If my future spouse is not Catholic, should s/he plan to join the church?

  1. Sometimes when a Catholic and a non-Catholic marry, the faith example set by the Catholic can encourage the other spouse to consider learning more about the Catholic faith and even consider becoming Catholic.  However, there should be no undue pressure on the non-Catholic spouse to abandon his/her lifelong faith tradition because of the marriage.  If the spouse of a Catholic wants to either pursue learning more or become Catholic, that should be supported and encouraged.

     For additional advice and counsel, please discuss this with the priest by contacting the parish office .

• We were married outside of the church and want a sacramental marriage
• How can we receive the Sacrament of Matrimony following a civil or non-Catholic marriage?

  1. Catholics who have married outside of the Catholic Church are encouraged to have their civil marriage convalidated by the Church.  Church law requires baptized Roman Catholics to marry before a bishop, priest, or deacon and two witnesses. If a couple wants to have the Church officially recognize their marriage through the Sacrament of Matrimony, they should contact a priest through the parish office in order to begin the process of convalidating their union.

• I or my fiancé have had a prior marriage and we are engaged to be married
• What is an annulment?

  1. An annulment is a declaration by a Church tribunal (a Catholic church court) that a marriage thought to be valid according to Church law actually fell short of at least one of the essential elements required for a binding union. 

     More information on annulments by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

• How would we know if either I or my future spouse needs an annulment ?

  1. Simply put, if there are no prior marriages on the part of either of you, an annulment will not be needed.  If either has entered into a prior marriage, you and your priest will need to investigate whether an annulment might be necessary.  The priest can mentor you through the annulment process or refer you to our Annulment Support Ministry.

     To discuss this with the priest, please contact the parish office .

• Marriage preparation
• What is the process of preparing for the Sacrament of Matrimony?

  1. Catholic marriage preparation is offered by parishes and dioceses to help couples better understand the Sacrament of Matrimony and to evaluate their readiness to live as a married couple.

     Saint Michael's Marriage Preparation page.

     More information on Catholic marriage preparation by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

• What are the major components of the process?

  1. Marriage preparation can consist of different components:

     • It always includes several meetings with the parish priest whereby he helps you gauge your readiness to enter the marriage and teaches you the theology of Catholic matrimony.
     • Possible attendance of an Engaged Encounter weekend
     • Meeting with a Sponsor Couple

     The parish priest will guide you through the marriage preparation process and the various steps involved.  For more information and/or to begin the process, arrange to meet with a priest by contacting the parish office .

     Saint Michael's Marriage Preparation page.

• How far in advance or our proposed wedding date should wbe contact the church to begin?

  1. Please contact the parish office more than 6 months prior to your planned wedding date.  This allows you to:

     • Confirm that the church is available
     • Confirm that the priest is available
     • Have adequate time for the marriage sacramental preparation process
     • Reserve other parish facilities (such as the reception hall) if needed.

     Saint Michael's Marriage Preparation page.

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