St. Joseph's Basilica

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Marriage

The law requires that a couple will register for the Sacrament of Marriage six months before the day of marriage. Every year in St. Joseph's Basilica we have many registered marriages, therefore it would be wise to contact one of our priests at 488 - 7295, at least, one year before planning the marriage. Once the paper work with the priest has commenced, other plans and reservations may be made. We don't have any facilities for a wedding reception in the Basilica.

We celebrate the Sacrament of Marriage on Saturday at 9:00 am, 11:00 am, 1:00 pm, 3:00 pm and 6:30 pm. We don't celebrate the Sacrament of Marriage on Friday and on Sunday.

Both candidates must be free to marry, that is, neither have been married before. Widows, widowers and those who have obtained an annulment of their previous marriage are free to marry.

At least, one of the candidates must be a Catholic in order to be married in the Catholic Church.

Both candidates must be adults, at least, 18 years of age.

If none of the candidates are registered members of St. Joseph's Basilica, the Catholic candidate must obtain written permission from the pastor of her/his parish to be married in the Basilica. They should register with one of our priests, pay the registration fee and ask their Catholic pastor to prepare the documents for their upcoming marriage. Our registered parishioners will have their documents prepared with one of our priests. Those who were married outside the Church by a Justice of the Peace or not in a Catholic Church and wish to have their marriage validated, please contact one of our priests at 488 - 7295. If the couple requests, we celebrate a private validation, free of any cost.

In case of any doubt, please contact one of our priests at 488 - 7295.

 

Offering Hospitality, Guidance and Support for the Sacrament of Marriage
Weddings at St. Joseph's Basilica

- Over 100 marriages a year take place in St. Joseph's Basilica.

- Celebrations of the Sacrament of Marriage in St. Joseph's Basilica always have a religious character as they are a covenant between the couple and God.

- The rehearsal coordinators keep the rehearsal focused on those procedures that support the religious character of the ceremony.

- Weddings may involve couples and priests from others parishes.

- A wedding may be as simple and intimate as two people presenting themselves to the priest to be married; or,

- It may be elaborate with numerous attendants and hundreds of guests.

- The wedding is a special time in the lives of a couple and it is a privilege to offer them support on behalf of our parish, our faith community.

Role of the Rehearsal Coordinators:

- To offer hospitality and support to the bride and groom, their family and guests.

- To serve as contacts regarding the procedural aspects of the ceremony, conduct rehearsals and provide support and coordination on the actual wedding day.

Initial Contact

- Coordinators contact the couple a week or two prior to the marriage ceremony.

- To offer reassurance and clarification, and to answer questions on the procedural aspects of the ceremony.

- To gather information that will assist in preparing for the rehearsal and make the best use prepared for the rehearsal.

- To refer policy issues to the priest who is officiating.

Rehearsal - generally are:

- Booked by the priest in consultation with the couple.

- Conducted on Friday evenings prior to a Saturday wedding.

The Rehearsal

- Rehearsals usually take 30 to 45 minutes.

- The wedding party must be punctual out of respect for the volunteers' time and for other rehearsals that may be scheduled on the same evening.

- The coordinators/s prepares the church to support the rituals of the ceremony.

- The coordinator keeps the group focused on the procedures relevant to the Sacrament of Marriage and ensures that the next rehearsal begins on schedule.

THE WEDDING REHEARSAL MINISTRY

The Wedding Day

- In addition to preparing the Church to support the rituals and procedures of the marriage ceremony, the coordinators offer hospitality and guidance to help the ceremony commence on schedule.

- The wedding day often brings a certain amount of tension and stress. The calm support of the coordinators is appreciated by the couple and their guests. Priests also appreciate the support, especially visiting priests.

Time Commitments

- The Wedding Rehearsal Ministry welcomes, and is flexible to, all offers of time commitment.

- The summer months are especially active with weddings but weddings occur on a year round basis. Should you wish to limit your participation in any way, we are open and flexible to working with you as a welcome and valued member of our team.

- Training, resources and support are provided.

Skills and Attributes

It is helpful for wedding coordinators to have the following skills and attributes:

- Enjoy extending hospitality and support to a wide variety of people

- Good interpersonal, organizational and communication skills

- Enjoy being part of a team that includes the Pastoral Team, the music ministry, altar servers, sacristans and other coordinators.

- Exercise good judgment and empathy in managing issues

- Respect the multicultural traditions in our faith community.

For more information, please contact: Fr. Adam Lech - Rector - 780-488-7295