Marriage

    How do I get married in the Catholic Church?

    The Catholic Church considers marriage a permanent life-long sacrament, and therefore takes marriage and the preparation for marriage very seriously. The Catholic parishes in Waterloo welcome the opportunity to celebrate this important decision with the couple, their families, and friends.
    A couple should contact the parish as soon as they decide to be married in the Catholic Church. As a general rule, couples should contact the parish at least six months before the marriage.
    The pastor, or a parish staff person designated by the pastor, will meet with the couple to explain the preparation process and the documents which will be necessary in order for the marriage to take place. (For baptized persons, this includes a copy of your Baptismal Certificate and a Statutory Declaration of Freedom.)
   
Newly Engaged Couples
Some elements of the preparation process include:
1) A marriage inventory (Prepare Enrich) to aid in identifying strengths and growth areas in the relationship
2) Meeting with a mentor couple for formal meetings as well as Mass, a holy hour, and some parish functions
3) Attending a marriage retreat (Pre-Cana). 
4) A Natural Family Planning intro course
5) Establishing a weekly date night routine 
6) Liturgy planning

Civilly Married Couples 
The Civil Marriage Initiative includes many of the same preparation elements that newly engaged couples go through, but all content and experiences are specifically tailored to civilly married couples.  Couples will choose a mentor couple to meet with and will attend a couple's retreat.  Click here for more information. 


According to Church law, any baptized Catholic has the right to be married in the Church as long as they are free to marry, are mature enough to enter into a marriage covenant, and are willing to accept responsibility for living in a sacramental marriage. Baptized persons (Catholic or non-Catholic) who have been previously married must obtain a Decree of Invalidity in order to be married in the Catholic Church.

Catholics may be married in a Catholic Church where they do not attend with the permission of the local pastor and the pastor of the parish in which they do participate.

• For information about being married in the Catholic Church, contact the parish office in the parish where you participate or plan to participate.

> See "The Couples Checklist".

Related Links:
• Why Do Catholics Take Marriage So Seriously?
• Why Should We Get Married in the Church?
• How Does A Previous Marriage Affect My Ability to Become Catholic?

Learn More:
• Guide to Getting Married in the Catholic Church.
• The Catholic Wedding Ceremony.