Sacred Scripture begins with the creation and union of man and woman and ends with "the wedding feast of the Lamb" (Rev 19:7, 9). Scripture often refers to marriage, its origin and purpose, the meaning God gave to it, and its renewal in the covenant made by Jesus with his Church.
By their marriage, the couple witnesses Christ's spousal love for the Church. One of the Nuptial Blessings in the liturgical celebration of marriage refers to this in saying, "Father, you have made the union of man and wife so holy a mystery that it symbolizes the marriage of Christ and his Church."
The Sacrament of Marriage is a covenant, which is more than a contract. Covenant always expresses a relationship between persons. The marriage covenant refers to the relationship between the husband and wife, a permanent union of persons capable of knowing and loving each other and God. The celebration of marriage is also a liturgical act, appropriately held in a public liturgy at church. Catholics are urged to celebrate their marriage within the Eucharistic Liturgy.
Couples wishing to receive the Sacrament of Matrimony are asked to contact the parish office at least Six Months prior to your wedding.
The parish guidelines below are meant to assist you as you prepare for your marriage.
Jesus began his public ministry and performed his first recorded miracle at the wedding feast at Cana. Because Cana has been linked with the wedding feast, we call the preparation for matrimony “pre-Cana”.
Pre-Cana takes two forms in the Diocese of Rochester. The first is in-person sessions at a parish or Catholic community such as a college. You can find the schedule for these below in the link.
The second option is our on line pre-Cana which is designed for couples who are separated by distance or for another pastoral reason cannot attend an in-person session. This online version consists of 4 videos, each followed by reflection questions designed to help couples process their experience. After the videos, you meet with the priest or deacon preparing you to converse about your experience. They can then email the pastoral center and your certificate of completion will be available for you to print.