SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE

Contact: Rev. Mr. David Rodriguez, Deacon
deacondavid@setoncatholicchurch.org

The Sacrament of Marriage is foreshadowed in the first pages of the bible, “God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them, saying: ‘Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it.’” (Genesis 1:28)

In the New Testament, Jesus teaches about marriage when he answered a question about divorce:

Some Pharisees approached him, and tested him, saying, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause whatever?" He said in reply, "Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female' and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, no human being must separate." (Matthew 19:3-6)

Because the Church understands marriage to be a spiritual and lifelong union of husband and wife, it takes very seriously the need for couples to participate in pre-marriage counseling and formation. Couples should contact the Church early (at least 6 months prior to a wedding date) to discuss and discern their readiness for marriage.

Because St. Elizabeth Ann Seton parish does not yet have its own facilities, weddings through the parish are celebrated in other Catholic churches. Msgr. Perry Kavookjian, Deacon David Rodriguez and Deacon Nick Amicone are able to preside at weddings with permission of the pastors of the local churches.  Fees and requirements may vary with each Church.

Annulments
The marriage vows of a husband and wife are considered binding for life. If you have been previously married, you may be required to go through a Church annulment of your previous marriage(s) in order to marry again in the Church. The annulment process through the Church may require a prolonged period of time. Therefore, persons with previous marriages should not set a date for a church wedding until speaking with a priest.


Marriage Blessings
If a Catholic party has not been married in the Catholic Church, he/she is encouraged to “validate” or “bless” their marriage. This is done by setting a date to have your marriage vows renewed in the presence of a priest.