In celebrating the union of two people committed to each other for life, the Christian community sees a public covenant between a man and a woman to live their lives as faithful Christians in the world and the establishment of a “domestic church” for the raising of children as faithful Christians. Because the public and Christian nature of this union is emphasized in the Rite of Christian Marriage, the ceremony must take place in the church building, for the couple are expressing a desire to begin a new status and way of life within the Christian community. The presence of a priest or deacon is required for Catholic marriages; they serve as official witnesses of the church, as the couple themselves administer the sacrament to each other.
As Catholics, we take the responsibility of marriage very seriously. That’s why we provide a period of preparation to ensure that the new couple begins married life with all possible benefits. And because they are beginning a new role in the Christian community, they should be married in their own parish church.
To be married at St. Brendan Church, at least one party must be a registered and active member for at least six months prior to the first appointment. No wedding will be scheduled until the requirements have been met, which include an initial interview with the pastor, the administration of a standardized compatibility profile, an Engaged Encounter Weekend or an Archdiocesan marriage preparation class and providing the required documentation, such as baptismal certificates. To begin the process of marriage preparation, please call the parish office. For information about marriage preparation, you may visit the site of the Archdiocesan Office of Family Life.
We have provided all the readings for the Rite of Marriage on this site. If you are planning your wedding, or if you have been asked to read at the wedding of a friend or family member, you can review the various options from the menu at your left.
Christian marriage is a sacrament, a sign of the unity of Christ and the Church. It is a holy covenant of life and love. It demands a mature commitment and decision to love from the partners, a response to the ever-present grace of God, and a daily self-sacrifice and reaffirmation of the commitment made on the wedding day. This calls for effort that is often heroic. For this reason, marriages do not always succeed.
While recognizing that marriage is a commitment undertaken for life, the Church recognizes that the marriages of some people do end, for one reason or another. This is the reality which is of concern to the Tribunal system of the Church. If you have experienced the pain of a broken marriage, you are encouraged to call the parish office for an appointment to explore the options available, which may include annulment or other canonical actions which would free you to marry again. If you would like to learn more about canonical options for a broken marriage, please visit the Web site of the Archdiocesan Metropolitan Tribunal and Office of Canonical Services.