For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother,
and shall cleave to his wife, and they shall be two in one flesh.
– Genesis 2:24
Congratulations on your decision to enter Holy Matrimony in the Catholic Church. We at St. Clement welcome and rejoice with you! The celebration you are planning and the lifelong commitment you are choosing to make are signs of God’s great love for us all. We are excited to be part of your decision to marry.
As with any sacrament, a period of prayer and preparation is required. The Catholic Church takes seriously her mission of assisting couples in assuming the duties and responsibilities of the sacrament of matrimony. Therefore, a pre-marriage process is utilized to assist the church in determining a couple’s readiness for marriage.
Engaged couples who plan to celebrate the Sacrament of Marriage at St. Clement need to first contact a priest or deacon at the parish office. This contact must be at least six months in advance of the proposed date of the marriage (do not set a definite date for your wedding until you have consulted with the priest, this is very important and should be observed in order to avoid any inconvenience).
Below you will find our pre-nuptial requirements and expectations and answers to common questions:
Begin collecting the documents needed to start the marriage process, this includes:
-
Bride and Groom’s Baptismal Certificate:
If Baptized Catholic, a recent baptismal certificate issued 6-12 months before the wedding date
is required. We cannot accept the original. Please call the Church of your Baptism and
request a newly-issued Baptismal certificate with sacramental notations on the reverse side.
If Baptized in a Protestant Denomination, then a copy of the baptismal certificate is needed.
The original certificate is acceptable. - Communion and Confirmation Certificates. We just need a copy of these. If you received all your sacraments at the same Church, many times they will indicate this and send with your Baptism Certificate.
- Previous Marriage? If either the bride or groom has been married previously, we will need a copy of the marriage certificate, and your divorce decree. We can then help guide you through steps in the annulment process as necessary.
- Married already and now would like to marry in the Church? Couples married civilly will still need to go through the same process. In this case, we will also need a copy of your marriage certificate.
- Not registered as a member of St. Clement Catholic Church?
A letter of permission from the pastor giving us permission to witness the sacramental exchange of vows is needed.
A requirement of both the Diocese of St. Petersburg and St. Clement Parish, is your pariticipation in a designated program of preparation for the Sacrament. This preparation includes:
- An initial interview with one of our parish priests.
- Taking the FOCCUS survey. The survey assists you in knowing each other better and offers valuable insight into your relationship.
- Subsequent interviews with the priest to include further discussions regarding the Catholic understanding of Marriage, and the scheduling and planning of the ceremony.
- Journey to Matrimony - an extended one day program offered on designated Saturdays throughout the year. It is the preferred preparation program for those marrying for the first time. This comprehensive experience uses various presentation methods with the goal of enriching and enhancing the remainder of the couple’s engagement. It is our hope that Journey to Matrimony will also provide a firm foundation on which couples can build their future as they prepare to enter the Sacrament of Marriage and spend a lifetime together. Click HERE for more information.
Wedding Date/Time:
All weddings at St. Clement are scheduled on a first come, first served basis, usually on Saturdays at 1:00 p.m. Only the parish priest sets the date once the necessary paper work is completed.
To start the process, please all the parish office to speak with a priest to schedule your first appoinment.
This is a joyful time in your lives. We are here to support you and guide you through your preparation.
For Marriage and Family resources, click image below:
