Matrimony

Matrimony

Matrimony is the sacrament of marriage.

The Lord God said: It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suited to him…The Lord God then built the rib that he had taken from the man into a woman. When he brought her to the man, the man said: This one, at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; This one shall be called woman, for out of man this one has been taken. That is why a man leave his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one body.

Genesis 2: 18, 22-24

Sacrament of Marriage

Holy Scripture affirms that man and woman were created for one another. God who created man out of love also calls him to love-the fundamental and innate vocation of every human being. (CCC 1604)

The marriage vocation is the discovery of a call from God. The matrimonial covenant establishes between the man and woman a partnership for the whole of life, ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring. This covenant has been raised by Christ to the dignity of a Sacrament. (CCC 1601, 1605)

Engagement

“The Church, in her wisdom, guards the distinction between being engaged and being spouses — it’s not the same — especially in view of the delicateness and depth of this test. Of course, today’s culture and society have become rather indifferent to the delicateness and seriousness of this step. Engagement is a path of life that has to ripen like fruit; it is a way of maturing in love, until the moment it becomes marriage.

Engagement, in other words, is the time when the two are called to perform a real labor of love, an involved and shared work that delves deep. Here they discover one another little by little…Engagement focuses on the will to care for something together that must never be bought or sold, betrayed or abandoned, however tempting the offer may be.”  -Pope Francis, General Audience, May 27, 2015

Marriage Preparation

Couples prior to engagement or after engagement should contact a priest (or complete the form below) at least eight months prior to their wedding to set appointments for marriage preparation meetings and to reserve a wedding date.

Attendance at Pre-Cana or Engaged Encounter is also required, plus a Christian Sexuality workshop or Natural Family Planning (NFP) class. If you are interested in the NFP class held at St. Philomena, please CLICK HERE. At least one of the parties should be an active, registered parishioner. Weddings take place at St. Philomena Church on Saturdays at 1 p.m. For more information, contact the parish office at 309-682-8642 or parish@stphils.com.