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Policies and Customs for Roman Catholic Marriage Rites

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Policies and Customs for Roman Catholic Marriage Rites Marriage Form, use of the Life Center Policies (if requested), use of the church or chapel for pre-rehearsal meeting, And rehearsal, marriage ceremony. Mass Stipend: suggested $10 offering Customs Auxiliary Services Fees: Music Coordinator — $100 For Roman Catholic Organist /Musician - $50 each Altar Servers - $10 each Marriage Rites Possible additional Tribunal fees payable to the Diocese of Las Cruces: Lack of Form —$50 Formal Cases — $400 Ligamen — $100 Pauline Privilege — $50 St. Jude Parish Diocese of Las Cruces Alamogordo, NM 44 Revised: July, 2012 1 document jacket, Request for Marriage MARRIAGE form, Guidelines for Weddings The intimate partnership of life and the love information sheet, Practical Norms for which constitutes the married state has been Weddings informational sheet, Beginning established by the creator and endowed by him Your Marriage booklet, Matrimony from with its own proper laws …. the Diocese of Las Cruces Pastoral Christ our Lord has abundantly blessed this love, Manual, Preparation for Marriage form, which is rich in its various features, coming as it MA Forms, MB Forms, Review of all does from the spring of divine love and modeled preparations, paperwork, and final on Christ’s own union with the Church…. approval by pastor, etc. Spouses, therefore, are fortified and, as it were, Marriage Facilitator Preparation fee of $100: consecrated for the duties and dignity of their Includes FOCCUS materials, scoring, state by a special sacrament. Vatican Council II, The Church administering, and review session of in the Modern World, n. 48 FOCUSS results. (Additional marriage preparation sessions @ $50/hour if required.) This booklet has been prepared by Sponsoring Couple fee of $100: Includes parishioners of St. Jude Parish to help minimum of three gatherings with our parish community review the sponsoring couple for sharing and Church’s vision, understanding, evaluation, Sponsoring Couple teaching, and discipline of the Evaluation forms, workbooks, review Sacrament of Marriage and the local of forms by marriage facilitator and Customs for celebrating the Sacrament pastor. at St. Jude Parish. Rental Fees: $750: includes Together for Life Workbook, Ceremony for 2 43 Church Stole Fee: $250 DIOCESAN PASTORAL MANUAL Mass Stipend: suggested $10 offering Order of Christian Marriage Auxiliary Services Fees: Policies and Practical Adaptations for the Music Coordinator — $100 Diocese of Las Cruces, January 1993, June Organist /Musician(s) - $50 each 1993, December 1996, December 1998, and Altar Servers - $10 each July 2007. Possible additional Tribunal fees payable directly to the Diocese of Las Cruces: INTRODUCTION Lack of Form —$50 The Second Vatican Council Formal Cases — $400 teaches us that marriage is rooted in Ligamen — $100 the conjugal covenant of irrevocable Pauline Privilege — $50 personal consent. It is a reflection of the living covenant uniting Christ and OUT OF PARISH GUIDELINES FOR STIPENDS Church. In the communion of life and AND FEES love that defines marriage, a couple (Not registered, or registered less than six may give themselves to each other in a months, or not living within the parish unique manner that preserves their boundaries, and if preparation is to be done individuality, while becoming one in by St. Jude Parish. Permission of pastor with heart and mind as well as "one flesh." jurisdiction still must be obtained. Fees The Code of Canon Law presents may be paid in three installments payable us a legal description of marriage in to St. Jude Parish.) canon 1055: The matrimonial covenant, Initial fee of $100: includes forms, copying, by which a man and a woman establish cost of materials, initial meeting with between themselves a partnership of the marriage facilitator, permanent whole of life, is by its nature ordered 42 3 toward the good of the spouses and the New Mexico Marriage License within 30 days procreation and education of offspring; before the wedding. The license may be this covenant between baptized people obtained at any New Mexico county has been raised by Christ the Lord to the courthouse. This document must be dignity of a sacrament. submitted to the parish office no later than The couple themselves creates the noon of the Wednesday before the wedding marriage bond which is brought about date so the information may be registered in through the legitimate manifestation of the parish office and the ecclesiastical marriage consent to each other. The marriage certificate prepared. covenant is ordered toward both the The license is signed by the couple, two good of the spouses and also the witnesses, and the minister celebrating the procreation and education of children. wedding immediately after the wedding. St. Furthermore, both spouses have equal Jude Parish then forwards the license to the rights in a marriage. county courthouse of issue. The county clerk will send the official copy to the couple after THE RIGHT TO MARRY recording it. The parish only issues an In the Catholic Church all people ecclesiastical marriage certificate. who are not prohibited by law can contract marriage. Marriages in which IN PARISH GUIDELINES FOR STIPENDS AND FEES one person at least is Catholic are (Active, registered parishioners, or individuals regulated by Church law. living within the parish boundaries, and family The following marriages are members who maintain a permanent address recognized by the Catholic Church: with the family, but may temporarily reside A. Any marriage between two elsewhere for part of the year, e.g., military Catholics, both of whom are free of service or schooling.) 4 41 they do not interrupt the ceremony or impediments, who give their consent obstruct the view of family and guests. for marriage before a duly authorized E. The couple is responsible for priest or deacon and two witnesses. flowers, if desired. Flowers may be taken B. Any marriage between two to the reception after the wedding or non-Catholics, both of whom are free donated to the parish. of impediments (including the bond of F. No rice, birdseed, confetti, etc. prior marriage), who give their consent may be used at any time in the church, for marriage before a non-Catholic chapel, hall, or anywhere on the property. minister, civil magistrate or official, or, G. The couple is responsible for in those states where common-law restoring the church to its original order marriage is recognized, by cohabitation after the wedding. This includes removing with marital intent. candelabra, flower vases, runners, pew C. Any marriage between a decorations, etc. It also includes Catholic and a non-Catholic, both of discarding waste paper, boxes, trash, etc. whom are free of impediments, who This may be done through the florist or give their consent, with the required other designated persons. The church is to dispensation (mixed marriage or be left as it was found and ready for the 4 disparity of cult), before a priest or PM service. deacon and two witnesses, or before a non-Catholic minister or civil REGARDING THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO magistrate with a dispensation from REQUIREMENTS canonical form. This marriage would All civil requirements must be either be sacramental or natural, completed before the wedding rehearsal. depending on the baptism or non - The couple is required to obtain a valid baptism of the other party. 40 5 MARRIAGE PREPARATION OF COUPLES Saturday between 1 PM and 3 PM. Other days The preparation for the celebration and times may be arranged at the discretion of of marriage is a special time for all the minister celebrating the wedding and after concerned and presents a unique consulting with the parish office. The church opportunity of evangelization for couples. must be vacated and cleaned before 3:45 PM Pastoral concern is focused on helping on Saturdays to allow time for the 4 PM them to grow in the awareness of who service. they are and what they are being called to B. Candlelight, pew decorations, when they enter a marriage covenant. runners, trellises, and other paraphernalia are In the actual process of preparation permitted as long as they do not clutter the for marriage, the following components are sanctuary, obstruct the view, or impede traffic. to be found: Anything complicated or unusual should be A. The foundation of the pre-marriage discussed with the minister celebrating the process is in a dedicated, faith-filled, and well wedding well in advance of placing orders with informed pastoral team; e.g., priest, deacon, suppliers. religious and/or lay pastoral ministers. C. The parish Life Center building is B. The pre-marriage preparation available to the wedding party to prepare on should be experienced by both parties, the day of the wedding at no charge. If the preferably together. In the event that one parish hall is required for lunch or for the cannot be present due to great distance, each reception, please contact the parish office for person should, in his/her own locale, rental information, fees, and available dates experience a pre-marriage program. and times. The rental of the parish hall is C. A minimum of six months governed by the regulations of the Diocese of preparation period is normally required to Las Cruces. provide adequate preparation, allowing D. Photographers and videographers are 6 permitted to move about as needed as long39 as groom well since childhood may complete time for self-reflection on themselves as a the forms. couple, reflecting on the covenant and D. FOCCUS marriage preparation Sacrament of Marriage, and the option of questionnaire, discussion notes, and changing their minds. Pastoral discretion graphic analysis. should be applied judiciously in waiving or E. Any affidavits, tribunal reducing the requirement, e.g. for elderly permissions, dispositions, declarations, or couples. petitions that may have been executed. D. All marriage preparation should F. Other support materials such as be completed 60 to 90 days before the sponsor couple’s evaluation, engaged scheduled wedding date to provide time for couples encounter, etc.
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