Getting Married at St. Francis Xavier
"Love is always patient and kind; it is never jealous; love is never boastful or conceited; it is never rude or selfish; it does not take offense, and is not resentful. Love takes
no pleasure in other people's sins but delights in the truth; it is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope, and to endure whatever comes. Love does not come to an end".
(St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians)
Congratulations on your engagement!
We, at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Community, are pleased to assist you with your plans for a meaningful and prayerful wedding celebration. The following is a general overview of what is involved in preparing for your marriage.
In the Diocese of Phoenix the process for marriage preparation takes at least NINE MONTHS. Additional time may be required in some cases. This is to allow time for a thorough preparation for the sacrament. For more information on the policy you may visit the diocesan website at http://www.diocesephoenix.org/mfrl/MFL/marriageprep.html.
At St. Francis, the process generally follows the following timeline.Click here for our Marriage Preparation checklist
Your first meeting will be with a mentor couple who will guide you through the steps you must take, answer your questions, and give you all the necessary information for the preparation of your wedding day. There are some steps that must be taken through the whole preparation, and this couple will be available for questions and help throughout the entire planning process. Their goal is to help your wedding day be a very happy and special moment in your life. We hope we can reduce your stress in doing all the planning by matching you with a knowledgeable married couple.
You will need to provide a copy of your baptismal certificate (issued no longer than six months prior), which should record all the Sacraments you have received. You can obtain a copy of that certificate by requesting it from the parish where you were baptized. For those baptized in another Christian faith, a copy of the original certificate will suffice. If one of you has not been baptized, just let us know.
We also will need to know whether either of you have ever been married before, either in the Catholic Church, in another denomination, or civilly. If you have been married before, we will provide you with the necessary information for continuing with the process of preparing for your wedding.
The next step will be for both you and your fiancé to take the FOCCUS inventory. This inventory is designed to help you to better understand each other and to enter into greater communication as you approach the sacrament of matrimony. After the FOCCUS inventory, you and your fiancé will meet with another couple who are certified Marriage Counselors to discuss any important issues that need care and attention and/or clarification.
Next you will take a series of classes., including an engaged encounter weekend, a class session on “God’s Plan for a Joy-Filled Marriage” (www.ourcovenantoflovephx.org) and a full course in Natural Family Planning (www.phxnfp.org). As you finish these classes, please give copies of the certificates of completion to your mentor couple so they can make sure that all of the necessary paperwork for your preparation is placed in our church files, or sent to the parish where your wedding will take place.
When these steps are complete the couple meets with our liturgist to plan your wedding Mass or Ceremony.
Areas that will be covered:
- Selection of Scripture Readings, Prayers of the Faithful
- Selection of a Blessing for the Wedding Rings
- Selection of a Blessing for the Bride and Groom
- Selection of a Closing Blessing
- Selection of Wedding Vows
- Optional components to the Wedding Ritual
- Information on Church Decorations
- Information on Photography at the Wedding
- Information on Worship Aids
- A selection of Music used frequently at weddings at St. Francis
When these items are completed the liturgist informs the wedding ceremony coordinator and then the couple schedules a meeting with
- the organist/pianist, select a cantor(s), hear the music you have selected, listen to options for other choices, if needed.
- the wedding ceremony coordinator to schedule the rehearsal.
Our Wedding Ceremony Coordinator walks you through your wedding rehearsal. She will answer any of your last minute questions and concerns. She will be present on your wedding day to assist and guide you and your bridal party, ensuring your needs are met, helping to eliminate any stresses that may arise, keeping your wedding day that happy and special moment in your life.
Finally, you must obtain a civil marriage license from the County. No marriage can be performed without a license, and the priest or deacon in Arizona signs the license as a minister of the Church and of the State of Arizona.
Again, welcome to St. Francis Xavier Catholic Faith Community and blessings on you as you prepare for your wedding day!
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