Marriage

Marriage

A Sacrament of Vocation

Policy for Weddings at Holy Family Parish

Wedding Arrangements

Wedding dates will not be placed in the parish calendar until the engaged couple has met with the pastor at least 6 months in advance of the marriage in order to have preparation requirements explained in detail to them. Please refrain from booking contracted businesses for your wedding, such as hall rentals, florists, ect. until the date is confirmed with Holy Family Parish. The couple will be expected to participate in marriage preparation offered by the parish or the Diocese of Gary.

Arreglos de boda

Las fechas de las bodas no serán puestas en el calendario de la parroquia hasta que la pareja comprometida se haya reunido con el párroco por lo menos 6 meses antes de la boda para que se les explique en detalle los requisitos de preparación. Por favor absténganse de reservar negocios contratados para su boda, tales como renta de salones, floristas, etc. hasta que la fecha sea confirmada con la Parroquia de la Sagrada Familia. Se espera que la pareja participe en la preparación matrimonial ofrecida por la parroquia o la Diócesis de Gary.

Are you interested in getting married at Holy Family Parish?  Please fill out the form at the following link begin the process:

Documents Needed

There are a few documents that are required during the preparation process for the sacrament of marriage. These documents may vary with each couple; however, the items below are necessary for ALL couples seeking marriage:

  • Updated Baptismal certificate (with notations) issued within the last six months
  • Two witnesses for both bride and groom stating freedom to marry
  • Pre-nuptial questionnaire and review
  • Marriage license from the State of Indiana (within 60 days of wedding)
  • Membership (registration) at the parish


Mass or Ceremony

According to the Marriage Rite of the Catholic Church, "the celebration of marriage ... normally should be within the Mass." This is true especially when both bride and groom are practicing Catholics (frequent the sacraments and go to Mass each Sunday).


There are many similarities between a Mass and a wedding ceremony. Both include hymns, prayers, readings, a homily, petitions, the wedding vows, and exchange of rings. The essential difference is that there is no Holy Communion at a wedding ceremony.


Marriage between Catholics and Non-Catholic Christians

 The Mass is the Sacrament of Unity. When we receive the Body and Blood of Christ in Holy Communion, we become one with God. Since the Catholic Church does not practice intercommunion (allowing all non-Catholics as well as Catholics to receive the Eucharist), we encourage a wedding ceremony (marriage without Mass) when one spouse is not Catholic.


Documentos necesarios

 Hay algunos documentos que se requieren durante el proceso de preparación para el sacramento del matrimonio. Estos documentos pueden variar con cada pareja; sin embargo, los siguientes elementos son necesarios para TODAS las parejas que buscan el matrimonio:

  • Certificado de bautismo actualizado (con anotaciones) expedido en los últimos seis meses
  • Dos testigos de ambos novios declarando la libertad para contraer matrimonio
  • Cuestionario prenupcial y revisión
  • Licencia de matrimonio del Estado de Indiana (dentro de 60 días de la boda)
  • Membresía (registro) en la parroquia


Misa o Ceremonia

Según el Rito Matrimonial de la Iglesia Católica, "la celebración del matrimonio... normalmente debe hacerse dentro de la Misa". Esto es así especialmente cuando ambos novios son católicos practicantes (frecuentan los sacramentos y van a Misa cada domingo).


Hay muchas semejanzas entre una misa y una ceremonia matrimonial. Ambas incluyen himnos, oraciones, lecturas, una homilía, peticiones, los votos matrimoniales y el intercambio de anillos. La diferencia esencial es que en una ceremonia matrimonial no hay Santa Comunión.


Matrimonio entre católicos y cristianos no católicos

La Misa es el Sacramento de la Unidad. Cuando recibimos el Cuerpo y la Sangre de Cristo en la Sagrada Comunión, nos convertimos en uno con Dios. Dado que la Iglesia Católica no practica la intercomunión (permitir que todos los no católicos, así como los católicos, reciban la Eucaristía), animamos a una ceremonia de boda (matrimonio sin Misa) cuando uno de los esposos no es católico.

Location

You may choose to have your wedding at any one of the three churches at Holy Family Parish: St. Joesph, St. Peter, or Sacred Heart.


Reverence

A church is a house of prayer and worship, a sacred place, respected by Christians and non-Christians alike. Therefore we ask that you please instruct your bridal party and invited guests to respect the beliefs of those in attendance and display proper decorum and silence both at the ceremony and during the rehearsal. Loud talking, inappropriate attire, smoking, drinking, eating, gum chewing, hat-wearing, etc. all show signs of disrespect for a place of worship.


Cost and Fees

  • There is a fee of $400 for the wedding ceremony, which covers
  • Church and Celebrant fees
  • Music fees


Music

You are responsible to make the necessary arrangments for the music of your wedding. This includes working with our Music Director: Patrick Watterson. All non-religious and popular music is not permitted in the liturgy and should instead be a part of your reception. Any outside musicians and cantors will need to be approved by our Music Director.


Please Contact our Music Director at

pwatterson@holyfamilylaporte.org


Photography

  • The primary event of the wedding is the liturgy. For this reason we do not permit flash photography during the ceremony.
  • The photographer should make arrangements to speak with the celebrant before the ceremony. Please have him or her call the parish office at: 219.362.2815.
  • The photographer is not permitted to enter the sanctuary at any time during the ceremony. The photographer should make every effort to remain unnoticed and not cause any obstruction for the participants.
  • We request that the photographer arrive at least a half hour before the ceremony begins.


Dress Code

The participants should reflect in their manner of dress as it reflects the values of Christians in every respect. Participants in the bridal party should be dressed with modesty and decency.

Lugar

Usted puede elegir tener su boda en cualquiera de las tres iglesias de la Parroquia Sagrada Familia: San José, San Pedro o Sagrado Corazón.


Reverencia

Una iglesia es una casa de oración y culto, un lugar sagrado, respetado tanto por cristianos como por no cristianos. Por lo tanto, le pedimos que por favor instruya a sus invitados a respetar las creencias de los asistentes y mostrar el decoro adecuado y el silencio, tanto en la ceremonia y durante el ensayo. Hablar en voz alta, vestir de forma inapropiada, fumar, beber, comer, mascar chicle, llevar sombrero, etc. son signos de falta de respeto hacia un lugar de culto.


Precios y honorarios

  • Hay un costo de $400 para la ceremonia de boda, que cubre
  • Honorarios de la iglesia y del celebrante
  • Honorarios de la música


Música

Usted es responsable de hacer los arreglos necesarios para la música de su boda. Esto incluye trabajar con nuestro Director de Música: Patrick Watterson. Toda la música no-religiosa y popular no se permite en la liturgia y debe en cambio ser una parte de su recepción. Cualquier músico o cantor externo deberá ser aprobado por nuestro Director de Música.


Póngase en contacto con nuestro director de música en

pwatterson@holyfamilylaporte.org


Fotografía

  • El acto principal de la boda es la liturgia. Por esta razón no permitimos la fotografía con flash durante la ceremonia.
  • El fotógrafo debe hacer arreglos para hablar con el celebrante antes de la ceremonia. Por favor pídale que llame a la oficina parroquial al: 219.362.2815.
  • El fotógrafo no está autorizado a entrar en el santuario en ningún momento durante la ceremonia. El fotógrafo debe hacer todo lo posible para pasar desapercibido y no causar ninguna obstrucción a los participantes.
  • Solicitamos que el fotógrafo llegue al menos media hora antes del comienzo de la ceremonia.


Vestimenta

Los participantes deben reflejar en su forma de vestir los valores cristianos en todos los aspectos. Los participantes en la boda deben vestir con modestia y decencia.

The vocation to marriage is written in the very nature of man and woman as they came from the hand of the Creator.

(CCC 1603)

The Sacrament of Marriage

The sacrament of marriage is a visible sign of God’s love for the Church. When a man and a woman are married in the Church, they receive the grace needed for a lifelong bond of unity.

Marriage is a Covenant

The Sacrament of Marriage is a covenantal union in the image of the covenants between God and his people with Abraham and later with Moses at Mt. Sinai. This divine covenant can never be broken. In this way, marriage is a union that bonds spouses together during their entire lifetime.

The sacrament of Matrimony signifies the union of Christ and the Church. It gives spouses the grace to love each other with the love with which Christ has loved his Church; the grace of the sacrament thus perfects the human love of the spouses, strengthens their indissoluble unity, and sanctifies them on the way to eternal life. (CCC 1661)

The love in a married relationship is exemplified in the total gift of one’s self to another. It’s this self-giving and self-sacrificing love that we see in our other model of marriage, the relationship between Christ and the Church.

Marriage is based on the consent of the contracting parties, that is, on their will to give themselves, each to the other, mutually and definitively, in order to live a covenant of faithful and fruitful love. (CCC 1662)

The Church takes the lifelong nature of the Sacrament of Marriage seriously. The Church teaches that a break in this covenant teaches goes against the natural law of God:

The remarriage of persons divorced from a living, lawful spouse contravenes the plan and law of God as taught by Christ. They are not separated from the Church, but they cannot receive Eucharistic communion. They will lead Christian lives especially by educating their children in the faith. (CCC 1665)

Marriage Reflects the Holy Trinity

We believe that God exists in eternal communion. Together, Father, Son and Holy Spirit are united in one being with no beginning and no end. Human beings, likewise, were created by God in God’s image for the purpose of communion with another human being.


The Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “The Christian family is a communion of persons, a sign and image of the communion of the Father and the Son in the Holy Spirit” (CCC 2205). The Sacrament of Marriage is “unitive, indissoluble and calls us to be completely open to fertility.” Christian marriage at its finest is a reflection of God’s self-giving love expressed between the love of two people.

God created man and woman out of love and commanded them to imitate his love in their relations with each other. Man and woman were created for each other...Woman and man are equal in human dignity, and in marriage both are united in an unbreakable bond.

(United States Catechism for Adults, Ch. 21, p. 279)

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