Preparing for a Catholic Marriage

Catholics are requested to give the officiating priest at least six months notice of their intention to marry.

While one months notice is obligatory by law, the advanced notice requested allows time for serious marriage preparation.

Couples are counselled by the priest during this time and are also urged to attend marriage preparation courses.

Documents required for marriage in the Catholic Church

The  Notification of Intention to Marry Form, available from your parish priest, must be signed no more than three months and no less than one month prior to the wedding day.  

Each person must obtain the following documents:

• a birth certificate - available from Registrar of Births & Deaths; and
  

• a baptism certificate - available from the parish priest where you were baptised.  

If either party has been married before:

• a death certificate of former spouse;

OR

• a decree of nullity (from the Catholic Marriage Tribunal);

AND

• a civil divorce decree.

Mixed Marriage

A mixed marriage is one where one party is a Catholic and the other party is not a Catholic, whether baptised or not.  A Catholic, even when entering a mixed marriage must be married before a Catholic priest.

Permission can be given for a Catholic to marry one who is not a Catholic, provided that the Catholic promises to safeguard their own Catholic faith and to do all in their power to have the children of the marriage baptised and brought up as Catholic.

The partner who is not a Catholic is not required to make any promises but is informed of the expectations the Church has of the Catholic partner.

Place of Marriage

Since the celebration of the sacrament of marriage has an important religious meaning it is celebrated in the Catholic Church.

Where one of the partners is not a Catholic and has a strong connection to his or her own Church, the Bishop may give permission for the marriage to take place in the other Church.

Only in very exceptional circumstances will permission be given for a marriage to take place elsewhere than in a Church.

Marriage Preparation Courses

The official Diocesan Catholic welfare agency, Centacare Broken Bay, is accredited by the Australian Attorney-General under the provision of the Family Law Act, to assist couples when a marital relationship is at risk, and to help in the resolution of custody and maintenance questions when a separation is inevitable.

Centacare employs staff who are well skilled in the counselling process and who are familiar with the Catholic teachings and traditions about marriage and divorce.  They are able to be of significant help in times of marital disharmony and imminent separation.

Centacare marriage counselling programmes are available to couples or individuals, Catholics and non-Catholics.

Some of the courses include:

1) Marriage Education & Counselling
Centacare Broken Bay offers weekend and weeknight courses for engaged couples.   The course lasts 13 hours and involves large group input by educators, small group discussion and a good deal of couple sharing.

The Programme covers the following topics:

• expectations of marriage;

• roles in marriage;

• self and couple awareness;

• family origin;

• communication;

• problem solving;

• sexuality;

• fertility awareness;

• finance; and

• spirituality of marriage.

Cost: $165 per couple.

2) Foccus Programme
A programme conducted by Centacare Broken Bay that is designed to assist couples identify areas of concern for them to consider and discuss.  The programme is run for individual couples in a confidential environment.  Ideally Foccus is completed before a pre-marriage course. 

Cost: $175 per couple
          $265 per couple if combined with a pre-marriage course

Courses conducted by Centacare Broken Bay observe the best practices of adult education and in doing so:

The facilitators are all trained educators who come from a variety of backgrounds including education, nursing, welfare, psychology and banking.  Common to all in the team is long experience in their own marriages.

Extension courses are planned during the year and will be advertised at the pre-marriage courses.  Many couples are keen to explore issues raised and learn skills in more detail.

It is recommended couples complete the courses several months before their wedding. 

For more information click here and look under 'Services - 'Pastoral Care' - 'Marriage Education'.

Church law about the annulment of marriages can sometimes be complex and specialist advice may be required.  For further information, please contact your local parish priest or the Marriage Tribunal.

• Catholic Engaged Encounter
  A weekend marriage preparation programme.
  

• Retrouvaille
  A programme to help couples heal and renew their own marriage relationship.
  

• Catholic Society for Marriage Education
  The aim of the Society is to promote and support marriage and family life in the Catholic vision by encouraging marriage and relationship education for couples considering marriage and for married couples, throughout Australia. 
  
  The site also contains links to other marriage sites in Australia and overseas.