Marriage
For Catholics, the Sacrament of Marriage, or Holy Matrimony, is a publicly witnessed sign of one man and one woman making a total gift of self to each other. It is also a public witness of God’s creation of man and woman in His image and likeness. The loving covenant union of husband and wife reveals the family values and moral values God has established.
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I would like to get married. Where do I begin?
Congratulations on your engagement, and your decision to invite Christ to your wedding – and more importantly into your married life as you prepare for the beautiful vocation of Marriage!
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Your first step is to contact our pastor, Fr Hammond, to set up an initial meeting to begin the planning process. This meeting must be at least six months in advance of your wedding date. Please note wedding dates cannot be confirmed until you have met with the Pastor. After the initial meeting, one of the couples on the marriage team will contact the couple to schedule a series of meeting at their home.
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What days and times are wedding ceremonies scheduled at Knox Catholic?
Weddings may be scheduled on Saturdays beginning at 11:00am. The wedding Mass may begin no later than 1:30pm. If there is a wedding ceremony ONLY, this may begin no later than 2:00pm. This allows the parking lot to be clear for the afternoon confessions and Mass.
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Why do I need to attend a marriage preparation class?
This time of preparation is an important opportunity for you both to enter more deeply into the mystery that God has called you to in your Marriage. Recognizing the important mission entrusted by God to engaged couples, the Catholic Church values preparation for this vocation. Desiring to invest in holy marriages, parishes seek to provide a supportive community and the tools necessary to forge a strong, committed love. This time before your wedding is a wonderful and important opportunity for you to begin conversations that will continue on through the rest of your lives together.
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Also, since most priests spend four to eight years preparing for the Sacrament of Holy Orders, it is only fitting that engaged couples spend a considerable amount of time preparing for the Sacrament of Matrimony. Marriage will radically change their lives since the couple will take on new roles as husband or wife and many will also take on the role of father or mother.
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For specific information on this process please click here: https://columbuscatholic.org/marriage-prep-info
Your wedding is only one day but your Marriage is for life.
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Why are Catholics required to get married in a Catholic Church?
The reason the Church asks Catholics to marry in a church is because Marriage is a sacrament. A sacrament is a solemn, unbreakable oath or covenant binding one person to another for life that is sealed with God’s name.
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Sacraments normally take place in a church (baptism, confession, Eucharist, confirmation, ordination) unless there is a legitimate reason for the sacrament to take place elsewhere (e.g., anointing of the sick or baptism in a hospital). Sacred acts should normally take place in sacred places. In the other Sacrament of Vocation, the Sacrament of Holy Orders, we would find it a bit strange if the ordination to the priesthood took place in the woods or at the beach. The reason for that is that the setting would not seem conducive to the seriousness and sacredness of the sacrament. Marriage is also a sacrament of vocation that is a serious and sacred calling.