Who may marry at St. Catherine of Siena Parish?
It is the practice of the Catholic Church that weddings take place in the parish church of either the bride or the groom. Anyone who is not registered in the parish must discuss, with the Pastor, any reasons why they wish to be married at St. Catherine’s. If permission is granted, a letter of permission must be obtained from the Pastor of the parish of which the Catholic party is a member.
Planning the Wedding
Arrangements for the wedding must be made by the couple themselves. Their parents may make the first contact with St. Catherine’s if the bride or groom live out of town, but from then on, the couple themselves must communicate personally with one of the parish priests before any date is finalized or other arrangements are made. Normally, the process for planning a wedding at St. Catherine’s lasts, at a minimum, nine months.
Scheduling the Wedding
Contact the parish office to arrange an appointment to set the date and time of the wedding on the parish calendar. Typically these initial intake meetings are held during the business day, Monday through Wednesday. Times for wedding ceremonies are determined by the parish’s liturgical schedule.
Weddings may be scheduled as follows:
Thursday or Friday: 5:30 p.m.
Saturday: 11:00 a.m., 12:00 noon, 1:30 p.m., or 5:30 p.m.
* Note that weddings may not take place on a Holy Day or on the eve of a Holy Day, nor may weddings take place from Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday.
Weddings are possible during Lent, but not preferable, due to the penitential character of that liturgical season.