The Catholic Church believes that the marriage bond is sacred and permanent. In the wedding ceremony the bride and groom administer the sacrament to each other by their declaration of consent. In this awesome and holy act, they are filled with the Holy Spirit who strengthens them for their life together. This is the blessing couples seek by coming to the Church for their marriage.
Sometimes couples want to be married in a church because of social pressure or family tradition. These are not sufficient reasons in themselves for choosing a church wedding. A church is the appropriate venue for the marriage of those who believe in Christ and who wish to celebrate publicly God’s blessing of their union. [1]
The effect of the sacrament is an increase in sanctifying grace for the spouses, a participation in the divine life of God Himself. [2]
In the Catholic tradition marriage is protected by two thousand years of pastoral experience embodied in the practical wisdom of the Church’s canon law. The marriage of a man and a woman is revered by the Catholic Church as a vocation ordained by God. It is both a reflection of God’s love, and a manifestation of God’s love in the world. For this reason, the Church understands marriage as a life-long partnership in which the couple co-operates with God in the creation of the human race. Marriage is a public event in which the couple professes an exclusive lifelong love for each other. Where the couple are both baptised Christians, marriage is a sacrament which bestows spiritual graces on the couple.
... to have a Catholic wedding is to invite Christ to your wedding, just as that couple from Cana once did — with wonderful and unexpected results. [3]
Congratulations on your forthcoming marriage. You are warmly welcome to celebrate your wedding at Holy Spirit Parish Church. The following information may be helpful to you.