Co-Cathedral of St. Thomas More at 900 West Tennessee Street, Tallahassee, FL 32304 US - Marriage Preparation

REQUIREMENTS OF FAITH
Catholics approaching the sacrament of Marriage are expected to practice their faith through regular attendance at Sunday Eucharist and by living a good Christian life. They are also expected to be registered members of their parish. If one of the partners of the Marriage is not Catholic they must agree to allow the Catholic partner to continue in the practice of the Catholic faith. A non-Catholic partner in marriage is expected to learn the basic teachings of the Church.
Couples approaching the Sacrament of Marriage should understand the meaning of Marriage as a Sacrament. They must be ready to accept the vocation of marriage and be open to accepting God's gift of children. They should also recognize that the Church asks that all children be baptized and raised in the Christian faith as members of the community.

REQUIREMENTS OF MATURITY
Both partners approaching marriage must be 18 years of age. Those under 18 are subject to a special, diocesan policy. Age alone, however, is not a sign of maturity. The Church expects both partners to be physically, psychologically and socially ready for marriage. In some cases the priest may ask the couple to consult a counselor to help the couple to better understand their readiness for marriage.

PREPARATION FOR MARRIAGE
Arrangements: When planning a wedding, the couple should consult the parish priest concerning the date, time, and place of the marriage before any other plans are made. This should be done at least six (6) months prior to selecting the wedding day. For the couple to be married in St. Thomas More Parish, one of the partners must be a committed Catholic registered at the parish, otherwise, the couple MUST request permission to be married in our Parish.
Couples that are planning to marry in another parish, but would like to complete their marriage preparation through St. Thomas More Parish, should contact our Office. For further information click here. Couples that are requesting to Marry at St. Thomas More, but live outside of Tallahassee, you may obtain further information by clicking here. Preparations: Pre-Marital instruction is required for all persons getting married. The priest or deacon will direct the couple to the parish pre-marriage program and/or to a diocesan level program sponsored by the Engaged Encounter Movement of our Catholic Church.
Required Papers: Those who are baptized in a parish other than St. Thomas More will need to acquire a recent Certificate of their Baptism (issued within six months of the wedding date). A baptized, non-Catholic is required to present a recent baptismal certificate (within 6 months of the wedding) or letter from their Church of Baptism. The couple is also required to fill out the "A" form which is a testimony concerning their freedom to marry, and two "B" forms filled out by relatives attesting to the freedom of the individual partners to enter into this marriage. In cases where one partner is non-Catholic, the Catholic partner is asked to sign a petition asking the Bishop for required dispensation and a paper concerning the raising of children in the Catholic faith. The Civil Marriage License is presented to the priest or deacon at the rehearsal.

THE MARRIAGE CEREMONY
Couples planning marriage should take the time to carefully plan their ceremony with the priest, deacons, and other ministers involved. A detailed list of policies and guidelines will be made available to the couple by the priest and/or deacon during the planning stage. If at all possible, the Mass should be part of the marriage ceremony. In addition to these guidelines, we as a parish are expected to follow any other Church or Diocesan guidelines on marriage. We hope that all couples preparing for marriage will see in these guidelines not a limitation, but a way to bring out the sacredness and fullness of Christian Marriage.

For further information about the Sacrament of Marriage , or to begin preparation for the Sacrament, please contact Ellen Murphy or Deacon Molina through the parish office ((850) 222-9630).

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