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Saint Jerome Church |
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Wedding Liturgy Guidelines:
Your Wedding in the
Catholic Church
St.
Jerome Catholic Church Fancy
Farm, KY 42039 Wedding
Guidelines Introduction Let
us, at St. Jerome Parish, be among the first to congratulate you on your
upcoming wedding, and for deciding to be joined as one within the Sacrament of
Marriage. Your wedding is unique because you and your future spouse are unique
as created in the image and likeness of God. However, it is our hope that these
"Wedding Guidelines" will help in your planning and preparation for
making a lifelong commitment to one another within the Sacrament of Marriage. Expectations
of the Church It is our sincere hope that
you and your spouse attend Mass regularly, that is every Sunday and Holy Day of
Obligation. Since marriage is special not only in the eyes of God, but also in
the eyes of the Church, living together prior to marriage is extremely
discouraged. Studies have shown that 78% of couples who live together prior to
marriage end in divorce. We in the Church at large and here at St. Jerome's are
concerned for your marriage and want you to receive the Sacrament of Marriage in
the Catholic Church. Our goal is to support you, with the same kind of love that
Christ has for His bride the Church, and to lead you in the process of
discovering the joy and the fruitfulness of your married lives in Christ. Necessary Documentation
and Prerequisite's for Marriages at St. Jerome Catholic Church 1. Before any arrangements are made
and before selecting a specific date, you must first see the priest. NO
EXCEPTIONS! We ask that
seven to nine months prior to your desired date that you call the Parish Offices
to set up a meeting with the priest. Once you have talked to the priest, you
will set up a date for your wedding which will be permanently reserved on the
church calendar. 2. Six months prior to your
wedding date you should contact the priest to set up the first of four to five
meetings with him. These meetings help create familiarity between you and the
priest, but they also allow an opportunity for open, confidential, and frank
discussion about the importance of marriage. 3. In addition, you and your
future spouse must attend a parish-sponsored or recognized marriage
preparation day. An "Engaged Encounter Weekend" or a "Pre-Cana"
weekend satisfies this requirement. The dates for these events are announced in
the bulletin or on our website (http://fancyfarmky.topcities.com). 4. If you are not a
parishioner of St. Jerome's or if you were not baptized here, then you
will need to provide a copy of your baptismal certificates that is no more than
6 months old (we can help if needed). 5. Within two months of your
wedding date you will need to meet with the Director of Music and Liturgy to
finalize all Music and Liturgy planning. The
planning sheet will need to be finalized and given to the Priest. 6. Within one month of your
wedding date you will need to acquire a valid Marriage License from the
Courthouse. This is to be brought with you to your wedding rehearsal. 7. The day before the
wedding or earlier you will need to have a rehearsal scheduled at the church.
This is mandatory. Please have all
persons in the wedding arrive
promptly because you will only be allotted one
hour for the rehearsal. 8. It is highly recommended
that you receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation (go to confession) shortly
before the wedding. Please arrange
a time with the priest. The rationale is that you prepare to enter into a life
long commitment that you do so with a clear conscience and in a state of grace. The
Rite of Marriage Between
Two Baptized and Practicing Catholics: The Holy Sacrifice of the
Mass is the "Foundation and confirmation of all Christian Practice" (CCC,
2181). Therefore it is right and proper for two baptized Catholics who practice
their Faith by attending Mass regularly should, on their wedding day, receive
their Lord whom they have invited into their married lives just moments before.
Great care must be taken in planning the Nuptial Mass of the couple. The Priest
and the Director of Music and Liturgy can assist in this aspect of the planning
stages. Only in extraordinary circumstances should the wedding of a Catholic
couple happen outside the context of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Between
a Catholic and a non-Catholic: Typically in cases where one
party is Catholic and the other is of a different faith community, the wedding
takes place outside of the context of the Mass. This would especially be true if
the non-Catholic party's family is uncomfortable with the Catholic Faith. In
planning for your wedding, you as the couple must be considerate of those
attending this joyous celebration. However, should the couple choose to marry
within the context of the Mass permission must be sought from the Bishop and the
priest will take care of this aspect. The preferred, although by no means
exhaustive, option for a wedding between a Catholic and a non-Catholic is that
the marriage be done outside of the context of the Mass. Planning
and Preparation for Your Wedding 1. The Church sees in
marriage two people coming together to form a lifelong commitment beginning on
their wedding day. 2. In planning and preparing
for your wedding, the priest will only discuss these matters with the couple who
is to be married. This ensures that their marriage is their marriage and
not someone else's. Reverence An over-arching theme to
remember is that you are in a church: a holy place. As Catholics we believe that
Jesus Christ is truly present in the Blessed Sacrament, so out of respect for
Him we ask that yelling, joking, profanity, and loud talking not be used.
Therefore we ask: Before, during, and after the rehearsal and Wedding
itself that there be a reverential silence. This allows for a quick rehearsal,
for preludes prior to your wedding to be heard, and for an overall prayerful
atmosphere so that people (and yourselves) can focus on what is really
important: Your wedding. NO FOOD OR DRINK IS
PERMITTED IN THE CHURCH EXCEPT FOR WATER IN THE CRY ROOM. People
Needed for Your Wedding: The
Pastor will conduct all marriages at St. Jerome- any exception must have written
acceptance by the visiting priest (i.e. a priest who is a relative or family
friend) and must be approved by the pastor. You
may ask two or three people to do readings at your wedding: One person for the
First Reading, one person for the Second Reading, and one person for the
Intercessions (Prayers of the Faithful). You will also need 3 to 5 people to be
Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist (this will be determined by the number
of people attending). The Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist and the
Lectors must be trained and currently active in this ministry. You will need
servers and ushers. You will also
need musicians for your wedding, which must be approved by the Director of Music
and Liturgy. Attendants/Bridal
Party and Groomsmen Canon Law (The Catholic
Church's Law) states that only two witnesses need to be present (The Maid of
Honor and the Best Man), Canon 1108 S., 1. When choosing attendants keep in mind
this is a special and important day for you as a couple, so only those people
who hold pride of place in your life should be asked to be attendants. Keep in
mind that the number and behavior of the attendants should not impede the
celebration of your wedding. Flowers
and Decorations The Church's life follows a
Liturgical Year, therefore, each part of that year carries with itself a
specific character and decorations help convey that special character.
1. You are the primary focus
in the wedding. Decorations should
not take the focus away from you. SIMPLICITY
is the key to elegance. Please, DO NOT
purchase or rent any extra props (i.e. unity candle stands, pillars, trellises,
candelabras, aisle runners, etc…) Please consult the pastor before you make
arrangements with the florist. The
church may be able to provide all of the key elements for the wedding
decorations. 2.
Nothing may be affixed to the pews with wire or tape, since we do have
other liturgical celebrations in the church throughout the week and weekend. 3.
All flowers placed near the altar must be real fresh flowers. 4. Weddings occurring during
Easter and Christmas: The flowers already placed in the church are not to be
moved unless special permission is granted. 5. Weddings occurring during Ordinary Time: Flowers and decorations may be placed in the church, as long as they do not impede the wedding. 6. Weddings occurring during Advent and Lent: Due to the penitential character of these two seasons, we ask that you respect the Church's liturgical life; therefore, no flowers or decorations may be put in the church unless special permission is granted. 7.
If you are planning on having a unity candle, the
church will provide the unity candle stand. You will need to purchase the center unity candle (3” x
9”) and the two tapers (7/8” x 10”). These must be non-drip candles only.
8.
We strongly discourage the practice of throwing petals in the aisles,
because we have had issues in the past with these flowers causing individuals to
slip or fall and the flowers not being picked up after the ceremony. Special
permission from the priest must be received regarding flowers being dropped by
the flower girl. Music
and Liturgy Planning All music and liturgy
planning and preparations must be prepared with the Director of Music and
Liturgy at least 2 months prior to
your wedding. Others musicians may
be used for your wedding, but they must first be approved by the Director of
Music and Liturgy. The reason for
this is to ensure proper care and high regard is giving to such an important
Sacrament. Please consult the other
Guidelines you received entitled “Guide to Planning Your Wedding Liturgy”
and “Guide to Planning Your Wedding Music” for more information and
suggestions. Preparation
Rooms & Church Facilities There is a preparation room
for the bride and bride’s attendants on the left-hand side of the church,
commonly used as the "Cry Room".
This room is in clean and good order when you use it, please leave it the
same way you found it. Clean up your personal effects. The church will also need
to be cleaned before leaving. If
there are any accidents due to sickness, these are also your responsibility. Wedding
Program All weddings at St. Jerome's
are to have a worship aid or program. You may do it yourself.
The Director of Music and Liturgy can help you with this as well. At your
meeting with the Director of Music and Liturgy, they can provide you with
examples of programs. If you choose to do the program yourself, it must be
approved by the Director of Music and Liturgy. Photographs
and Videotaping We understand that capturing
this tremendous moment in your life is important to you and your family.
However, photographers and videographers should not be an intrusion to the
wedding itself. Pictures may be taken during the wedding, but there is to be no
flash, and these pictures should be taken from behind or beside the
congregation. At a Nuptial Mass during the Eucharistic Prayer (from the
"Holy, holy… to the "Great Amen") no photographs are to be
taken. Pictures may be taken before or after the wedding.
You are allowed to enter the
church no more than 2 hours before the wedding ceremony and must vacate the
church within 1 hour after the wedding. No
wedding activities can intrude into other regularly scheduled Sacrament (i.e.
Reconciliation, etc.) Photo times
outside of the wedding must be approved by the Pastor or Director of Music and
Liturgy. Donations,
Fees, & Gifts It is customary to give a
donation/stipend to the priest or church for all the time spent in preparation.
Be sure to talk with your music minister(s) to find out their fees for
weddings. Be sure to pay them promptly. Out
of respect for all that participated in your wedding (servers, lectors,
Eucharistic ministers, all those in the wedding party, etc.), please be sure to
give a donation or gift. Remember
that all of these people took time out of their schedules to help make your
wedding day special. Wedding
Times Friday: 5:00pm & 7:00pm
Saturday: 9:00am, 11:30am,
1:30pm, & 6:30pm (A wedding with
a Mass is approximately 55 to 75 minutes and without
a Mass is approximately 40 to 50 minutes.) All
wedding activities, rehearsals, pictures, etc… must be finished and all
persons out of church one hour before the next scheduled church activity or
regularly scheduled Sacrament (i.e. Reconciliation, etc.) It is your responsibility to know when the next activity is
scheduled. Conclusion Although these guidelines
may seem extensive, we at St. Jerome's have several weddings per year, and we
have seen and have had to deal with innumerable issues. These guidelines are to
help ensure that your wedding is authentically Catholic and done with the
decorum that the Rite itself demands. We applaud and stand behind your decision
to marry in the Church, and we are here to love and support you in that
decision. May God continue to bless you as you and your future spouse prepare
for the reception of this Sacrament of Holy Matrimony. Created 03/11/2009- Lacy Riddle |
