What is Matrimony, in the Catholic Church
Matrimony or marriage, according to the Catholic Church is one of the Sacraments established by means of a covenant or agreement between a man and a woman that want to establish themselves in partnership for the rest of their lives, in sickness and in health, in richness and in poorness, till death do them part. The spouses shall bear the responsibility to procreate and educate their offspring according to the Catholic rituals.
Sacred Scripture begins with the creation of man and woman in the image and likeness of God and concludes with a vision of "the wedding-feast of the Lamb." Scripture speaks throughout of marriage and its "mystery," its institution and the meaning God has given it, its origin and its end, its various realizations throughout the history of salvation, the difficulties arising from sin and its renewal "in the Lord" in the New Covenant of Christ and the Church.
"The intimate community of life and love which constitutes the married state has been established by the Creator and endowed by him with its own proper laws. . . . God himself is the author of marriage." The vocation to marriage is written in the very nature of man and woman as they came from the hand of the Creator. Marriage is not a purely human institution despite the many variations it may have undergone through the centuries in different cultures, social structures, and spiritual attitudes. These differences should not cause us to forget its common and permanent characteristics. Although the dignity of this institution is not transparent everywhere with the same clarity, some sense of the greatness of the matrimonial union exists in all cultures. "The well-being of the individual person and of both human and Christian society is closely bound up with the healthy state of conjugal and family life."
Holy Scripture affirms that man and woman were created for one another: "It is not good that the man should be alone." The woman, "flesh of his flesh," his equal, his nearest in all things, is given to him by God as a "helpmate"; she thus represents God from whom comes our help. "Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh." The Lord himself shows that this signifies an unbreakable union of their two lives by recalling what the plan of the Creator had been "in the beginning": "So they are no longer two, but one flesh."
Instructions for the celebration of the Sacrament of Matrimony
1. Call the Parish Office and make an appointment to meet with the Priest for a Pre-nuptial Interview. During this interview, the future spouses will be provided with the Pre-nuptial Interview Questionnaire, four (4) copies of the Witness Form that needs to be notarized and information on how to obtain the Marriage License.
2. Complete the Wedding Application to activate your file.
3. Reserve the date and time for the wedding celebration.
NOTE: Weddings can be scheduled for: Monday through Saturday mornings and afternoons until 3:00 p.m. or after 7:00 p.m.Weddings cannot be scheduled for Sunday.
4. Submit deposit of seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00). Make check payable to Saint Henrys Catholic Parish. Remaining balance of full amount ($1500 - $750 deposit = $750) is due one month prior to wedding date.
5. Initiate the process to obtain a legal copy of the original Certificate of Baptism for the bride and groom. These certificates must have been issued within the last six (6) months. Photo copies or scanned copies will not be accepted.
6. Initiate the process to obtain a copy of the Certificates of Communion and Confirmation.
7. Initiate the process to obtain a legal copy of the Certificates of Birth for the bride and groom.
8. Call or email Samantha Burda (954) 785-2450 /office@SaintHenrys.org in order to enroll in the required Marriage Preparation Class.
9. Access the Catholic Couple Retreat online site for the preparation of the marriage and follow the instructions on the screen:
https://www.miamiarch.org/CatholicDiocese.php?op=Events_MarriagepctwtPreparation
10. Obtain a letter of permission from your Church to marry outside of its boundaries; if you do not reside within the 33069 zip code.
11. Plan and reserve the date for your wedding rehearsal. All wedding rehearsals take place on the Thursday before your wedding. Call Samantha Burda (954) 785-2450 to schedule the rehearsal time and make final arrangements for the liturgy and ceremony. You may want to discuss details about traditional ceremonies, such as: the arras (pledge of 13 coins made by the groom), unity candle, placement of the rosary or mantilla over the bride, will special lectors be assigned or if the offertory is to be presented by any family members or friends.
12. Ensure that your Marriage File at the Parish contains the following documents, no later than one month prior to the wedding date:
a) Pre-nuptial Interview Questionnaire
b) Four Witness forms, duly notarized.
c) Certificate of Baptism for the bride and groom (issued within the last six (6) months.)
d) Certificates of Communion and Confirmation for the bride and groom.
e) Birth Certificate for the bride and groom.
f) Certificate of completion of the Marriage Preparation class.
g) Marriage License issued by the State of Florida Court for Miami-Dade County.
NOTE: One month prior to the wedding date, you must bring the valid Florida Marriage License to the Parish Office. The Marriage License can be obtained at:
Broward County Clerk of Courts. 201 SE 6th Street, Room 270, Fort Lauderdale and complete this form
https://www.browardclerk.org/Web2/Marriage/MarriageLicenseApplication
h) Letter of permission to marry outside the boundaries of your Church, if you do not reside within the 33145 zip code.
i) Proof of the seven hundred-fifty dollar ($ 750.00) deposit for the wedding, AND pay the balance due of $750. Total cost for a wedding at St. Raymond Catholic is $1500.
NOTE: If you would like to set up any musical arrangement for the wedding celebration, please contact: