Sacrament of Marriage

In the Catholic Church, Marriage, also known as holy matrimony, is the “covenant by which a man and woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life and which is ordered by its nature to the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring”, and which “has been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a sacrament between the baptised.” Code of Canon Law, 1055 §1

PREPARATION FOR MARRIAGE

A marriage preparation program is an integral part of preparing for your wedding. The Archdiocese of Singapore requires every wedding couple to complete a certified preparation course before a Catholic priest or deacon may witness their marriage.

Couples are required to complete either the:

• Marriage Preparation Course (MPC)
• or Catholic Engaged Encounter Course (CEE)

to get married in a Catholic Church in Singapore.

They can also consult with the priest to have a personalized preparation. They can attend three sessions with the priest, besides some online instruction and one more session led by a team of experienced married couples.

For more information, please refer to:  http://catholicweddingsolutions.com/ceeandmpc/

The sessions with the priest cover the completion of the marriage documentation, talks on the teaching of the Church on marriage and family life. The last session is the wedding rehearsal.

Both the Marriage preparation course and the personalized course will cover different topics to help you have knowledge about marriage and related matters: discern your readiness to marry and stay committed to your vows, develop practical skills to live out the promises made on your wedding day, and to grow in the appreciation of the role of the Catholic faith in transforming your marriage into a Sacrament.

Appointments for the preparation course are usually arranged about six months before the wedding. All documentation must be received before any appointments are made.

If your celebrant is a visiting priest or deacon, then you need to return your paperwork to him and arrange with him the marriage preparation course. You may still book into our group sessions with a married couple at no extra cost – just ring the parish office to arrange this. Also phone the office (or use the online registration form) to book the church for your wedding and the rehearsal. That rehearsal is usually held in the week leading up to the wedding. It is advisable to organise your rehearsal time well in advance.

Choose your Celebrant:

Fr Joe Lopez, St Joseph’s Church Rector is available for most weddings at our Church.

You are also welcome to invite a Catholic priest or deacon personally known to you. Please advise the parish office of the celebrant’s details at the time of booking, usually celebrated on Saturdays.

Weddings can also be celebrated during the week, in which case times are negotiable.

How to go about applying for the sacrament?

Procedures for Wedding

Before making a wedding booking with St Joseph’s Church, Victoria Street, please ensure that you have met the following requirement.

1. St Joseph’s Church, Victoria Street is able to accommodate up to two Weddings on Saturdays at 10am and 2.00pm.
2. Wedding Bookings should be made at least 1 year before the intended wedding date. Once you have chosen your desired dated, please contact the Administrator/Sacristan and request that a provisional booking be made with the church. This is however subject to availability.
3. Provisional bookings, for which payment is not required, are held for 3 months. This allows you time to arrange and confirm your reception venue etc.
4. At least one of you must be a baptized Catholic.
5. A Catholic Priest with a solemniser license in Singapore, must have agreed to be the presider and solemniser at your wedding.
6. Couple must complete the Catholic Engaged Encounter or Marriage Preparation Course. If you have any problem, please inform us.
7. Optional – Couple may also choose to enroll with St Joseph for the Couple Mentoring Journey.
8. Couple must have completed the Prenuptial Inquiry with the celebrant priest.