What if I’m not registered in a parish?
Find the Catholic church nearest to your home and contact a priest there to begin the paperwork.
Do I have to get married in my own parish?
No, but you must obtain a letter from your local parish giving you permission to marry in another parish. This letter becomes part of your marriage file.
Is Confirmation necessary before marriage?
It is not mandatory in the United States, although it is in most of the rest of the world, but since it completes your Sacraments of Initiation as a Catholic, it is encouraged before marriage.
What do we do if we are getting married in another diocese, state, country?
Contact the place where you are getting married, ask what the requirments are, and begin the paperwork at your parish. Be sure to allow a lot of time! The Office for Canonical Services at the Quigley Center needs at least three months to get the paperwork stamped, sealed, and sent out to another country if you are not getting married in the United States.
What happens to my papers if I am getting married outside the Archdiocese of Chicago?
Be sure you start this process as soon as possible. Once your file is complete, your parish priest will send your marriage file to the Office for Canonical Services at the Quigley Center downtown for review and stamping of approval. It is then sent to the diocese where you are getting married. They in turn review it, stamp their approval, and send it on to the Catholic church where you are getting married.
Once our paperwork is completed, what happens to it?
If you and your future spouse are both Catholic and parishioners of the same parish, it stays in the parish marriage files. For other cases, call Canonical Services at 312.534.8207 or 312.534.8382.
What do I do if I want to get married at a chapel that has special meaning for me?
Write a letter to Fr. Richard Saudis at the Office of Canonical Services, P.O. Box 1979, Chicago, Illinois 60690-1979 with the details of your wedding and the reasons why you wish to marry at this site. He will respond to you by letter. You also have to get permission from the place where you wish to marry.
What if I want to have my Catholic wedding in a garden, at a hotel, or on a beach?
A Catholic wedding must be held in a Catholic church before a priest and two witnesses.
Can my dog be part of the wedding?
No, only people may take part in this sacred ceremony. |
