Marriage

Please read our Frequently Asked Questions about Marriages at Sacred Heart for more information on scheduling a wedding, securing a date, and all associated planning.

For those seeking Marriage at Sacred Heart, linked here are the planning timeline and forms associated with preparation and conferring of the sacrament.

Did you know? | You do not have to register at Sacred Heart to celebrate marriage here. That’s right! If you are currently registered at the parish near your home, you can schedule your wedding date now. If you do choose Sacred Heart to be your spiritual home, newly registered parishioners are able to select their wedding date after one year of active participation with the parish. Those who have active familial connections to the parish, and are registering with Sacred Heart for the first time on their own will receive due consideration.

If you already are parishioners of Sacred Heart, but are seeking to be married at another church, preparation documents are available here.

Once the date for your wedding is set and confirmed, here is what you can expect for the Marriage Preparation process. Please note, if you are registered parishioner, marriage preparation will be done here at Sacred Heart, generally by the priest assigned to celebrate your wedding ceremony.

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Step 1: Initial Meeting with the Priest

The purpose of the first meeting is to get to know a little bit about the couple, in a relaxed and conversational manner.  Sometime before or after this meeting , you and your fiancé(e) will complete a FOCCUS survey. FOCCUS is an “inventory” survey designed to help couples learn more about themselves and their unique relationship. The survey provides individualized couples feedback on where each partner stands in regards to topics important to the marriage.

Areas of coverage include: lifestyle expectations, problem solving, religion and values, personality match, parenting vision, communication, financial issues, careers, extended family issues, personal issues, marriage as a Covenant, as well as interfaith or denominational issues.

Step 2: Follow Up Meetings

After the results of the FOCCUS have been processed, there are several follow-up meetings to go over the FOCCUS survey. The follow-up meetings are a facilitated discussion between you and your fiancé(e) based on the results of the survey. During these sessions, there will be ample opportunities to discuss the Sacrament of Marriage, the practical elements of a common life, and spirituality of Christian marriage. In some cases the discussion is with a married couple trained in the survey – in other cases it might be the priest.

Step 3: Pre-Cana 

As part of the Marriage preparation process, couples must attend a Pre-Cana class. The class is an opportunity to delve into the sacramental and spiritual aspects of marriage. 

Step 4: A Private Conversation

After the FOCCUS meetings and the Pre-Cana meetings, there is a private conversation between the priest and each of you individually. These are conversations intended to ensure that each of you has full freedom to give yourself in marriage.

Step 5: Planning the Wedding Ceremony

And finally, there is a meeting about planning the liturgical aspects of the wedding ceremony itself, music, details, etc. The priest helping prepare you will provide you with a booklet, which outlines the ceremony and will help you plan the liturgical aspects of the ceremony. Be advised that in the spirit of Vatican II, the Mass will be celebrated in the native vernacular of the couple (e.g.: English, Spanish) with the priest facing the people. The assigned musician will help you select music appropriate for your celebration.

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