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Requirements
With profound awareness of the richness and beauty of the
Sacrament of Marriage, the Catholic Church throughout the State of
Florida has written a Common Policy for Pastoral Marriage
Preparation. These guidelines are in accord with those policies and
tailored for marriages here at St. Rita Catholic Church.
St. Rita requires that if you are printing
a program for your wedding that you submit a copy to the church
office before it is printed.
Father Tom's Special instructions for
the Bride and the Bride's party
Click Here
April 2008
1) Each Catholic must present
a baptismal certificate recently obtained from their church
of baptism. We can assist you in obtaining phone numbers and
addresses of these parishes.
2) Both bride and groom must
complete, individually and under oath, a prenuptial questionnaire
in the presence of a priest, thus testifying to their freedom to
marry in the Catholic Church.
3) Two relatives (preferably
parents) or friends of each party must sign individually, under
oath, in the presence of a priest or a person delegated by him,
the “B” form to declare the freedom of each party to marry. In
some dioceses this is known as the wedding banns. This
also applies to mixed-faith marriages. The “B” form should be filled
out by someone who has known you since your 16th birthday. If “B”
forms are sent out of state, they must be taken to a local Catholic
church to be completed. A Notary Public may also witness these
forms.
4) Marriage preparation is
mandatory for all couples, whether one or both parties are
Catholic. The preferred form of marriage preparation at Saint Rita
includes a premarital inventory (the
FOCCUS)
with several sessions to review the results. In addition, the couple
will participate in either the
Engaged Encounter Weekend
or the Pre-Cana Day.
The Office of Family Life, a ministry of the Diocese of
Pensacola-Tallahassee, offers a comprehensive set of programs
for marriage preparation.
If the couple is being prepared for
marriage at their home parish, then that parish's policies will be
satisfactory. Documentation confirming the couple's
participation in the preparation is mandatory.
5) If there has been a
former marriage, both the marriage certificate and either the
death certificate or declaration of nullity must be produced.
6) In a mixed-faith
marriage, the Catholic party alone is to sign a promise
affirming that he or she will insure that all children born of the
union will be baptized and raised in the Catholic faith. The
non-Catholic is made aware of the Catholic’s responsibility in this
matter.
7) If a visiting priest
is to perform the ceremony, he must have the pastor’s permission and
usually attends to the prenuptial paperwork. In addition, the couple
must hire one of St. Rita’s sacristans to assist at the wedding for
the purposes of setting up and securing the church. Contact the
church secretary to make arrangements. A fee is charged for this
service.
8) Each Catholic
should receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession)
before marriage.
9) A
non-Catholic minister may take part in the Catholic marriage
ceremony.
10) Permission
may be granted by the Bishop for the ceremony to take place in a
non-Catholic church in the case of a mixed-faith wedding.
Permission is never granted to have weddings at the beach, in
parks or in private homes.
11) A
Marriage
License is mandatory from the state of Florida.
Acquiring a license is the responsibility of the couple. A license
is valid for only sixty days. The license should be given to the
celebrant at the rehearsal.
Note
St. Rita requires that if you are printing
a program for your wedding that you submit a copy to the church
office before it is printed.
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