Catholics believe that marriage comes as a gift from God. The Catholic vision of marriage is rooted in Sacred Scripture and is expressed in the teachings and practices of the Church. This sacrament celebrates and witnesses the covenant of love between a man and a woman and symbolizes Christ's covenant of love for the Church. It is a liturgical celebration, held in a public liturgy at church, where a man and woman freely express their consent to marry in front of a priest or deacon, two witnesses, and an assembly.
At least six months before the wedding, couples should make an appointment to discuss their marriage plans and the pre-marriage preparation required by the Diocese of Richmond. This allows proper time for discernment and preparation, both spiritually and administratively.
Required administrative paperwork will include but is not limited to the following:
- If you are Catholic, you must obtain a "Current" baptism record. You can obtain this by contacting the parish where you were baptized and requesting a current baptismal record with notations. It must be current to six months before the wedding. The original will be required, a copy is not sufficient. This is not your original baptism certificate.
- Baptism certificates for non-Catholic Christians are very helpful. These do not have to be current, they can be a copy of the original.
- Affidavits for "Freedom to Marry will be required. You can obtain the form by clicking on the Affidavit of Freedom to Marry at the bottom of this page. Those you choose to ask to testify that you are free to marry must be people you have known well for at least 5 years. Practicing Catholics are preferred. The original documents must be turned in, and no copies are allowed.
A Catholic must seek permission to marry a baptized non-Catholic Christian. An interfaith marriage between a Catholic and a non-baptized person requires a special dispensation. Both a request for permission or dispensation are requested to the bishop through the marriage preparation process, and will be submitted by the Cluster Wedding Coordinator.
If either party has been previously married, a determination will need to be made as to whether or not the previously married party is free to marry in the Catholic Church. If necessary, paperwork to petition for an annulment of a previous union will be initiated and investigated. It is essential that this matter be resolved prior to setting the date of the marriage ceremony.
Couples, where at least one party is Catholic and who are already civilly married or were married outside of the Catholic Church without prior ecclesial permission, are required to be married within the Church in accordance with Church law. Commonly referred to as a "convalidation", the marriage preparation follows the same process as for a couple that has not been previously married. Couples in this situation should discuss their desire to be married in the Church with a priest or deacon.
For more information or to begin the marriage preparation process please see the links below and contact Theresa Carpenter at 757-484-7335 or tcarpenter@clusterparishes.com.
Please note: There is NO REQUIREMENT to join or be registered at any of our parishes to receive the Sacraments. You are always welcome to do so, however there is NO REQUIREMENT.