the sacrament of marriage...the wedding day itself, the preparation process also requires a lot from...
TRANSCRIPT
St. James the Greater Parish
Celebrates
T he Sacrament of Marriage
A publication of
St. James Catholic Parish 2502 11th Street
Eau Claire, WI. 54703 Revised November, 2014
A LETTER OF INTRODUCTION
On behalf of the people of St. James Parish, let me congratulate you on your choice to be married in the Church. It is a smart choice! God and Church are es-sential parts of the joyful and fruitful marriages that I see every day. I wish the same for you. This booklet contains a lot of “dos” and “don’ts” and “musts.” Please don’t let that intimidate you. The bottom line is that we rejoice to see you make this choice for your lives and want to make it a happy event for all. Weddings are an important part of our parish life, and, truthfully, I wish we had a lot more of them. From my perspective, your wedding is also the Church’s wedding. The upside of this is all the support you will have in our prayers and traditions. The possible downside is that we do have many rules and regulations to follow. I hope you can embrace them and see that they are part of what holds us together as a community. While a lot of energy and attention will be focused on the wedding day itself, the preparation process also requires a lot from you. The goal of this preparation is a happy marriage and a wedding ceremony that will joyfully proclaim to God and to the world your commitment to one another. God has brought you to this moment in your life, and you want to move forward with God’s blessing. Our marriage prep team and I look forward to walking with you during these months of marriage preparation and beyond.
Peace,
Fr. Thomas Krieg Pastor
CONTENTS A Prayer for Engaged Couples 3
Marriage as Sacrament 4
Expectations 5
Marriage Preparation 6
Parish Membership 6
Time of Preparation 7
Preparation Process 8
The Virtue of Chastity 9
Instruction in the Faith 10
Necessary Documents 10
The Wedding Liturgy 12
Does it have to be a Mass? What if
one of us is not Catholic? 13
Planning Guide 14
Order of Celebration 15
The Entrance Procession 15
Liturgy of the Word 16
The Marriage Rite 16
Liturgy of the Eucharist 17
Concluding Rite 17
Ministers 17
Environment 18
Wedding Customs 19
Liturgical Music 20
Liturgy Program 22
Rehearsal 24
Decorum 25
Photography 25
Contributions 26
A Final Prayer 27
Phone Numbers & E-mail Addresses 28
We praise you Lord, for your gentle plan draws together your children in love for one another. Strengthen our hearts, so that we will keep faith with each other, please you in all things, and so come to the happiness of celebrating the sacrament of our marriage. May the God of love and peace abide in us, guide our steps, and confirm our hearts in Your love, now and forever. Amen.
Let us pray for God’s blessing to
come upon this couple… that as
they await the day of their wed-
ding, they will grow in mutual
respect and in their love for one
another.
Blessing for Engaged Couples
A Prayer for Engaged Couples
3
Marriage is a Sacrament in the Cath-
olic Tradition because Christ is pre-sent when the bride and groom vow
to show the same love for each other that he shows for us: unconditional and always. It is a total gift of
yourself to another. Married couples help each other attain holiness by laying down their lives for each other
and their children. This love both brings the couple together and brings
new life into the world. A Christian marriage is a covenant,
an irrevocable oath of fidelity that the spouses freely give and receive from
each other. This covenant creates a sacramental union, an unbreakable bond. This bond is forged by the love
of God so you may love as God loves, with nothing wasted and nothing held back.
Christian couples, therefore, strive to
nourish and develop their marriage by uniting God’s love with their love. When you love your spouse it is also
God loving them, since God is love. With God’s help, couples remain faithful in body and in mind, in good
times and in bad.
Christ abundantly blesses this
love. He has already consecrated
you in baptism and now he en-
riches and strengthens you by a
special sacrament so that you
may assume the duties of
marriage in mutual and lasting
fidelity.
Rite of Marriage
Marriage as Sacrament
4
We strongly support the
vocation of Marriage and
believe that faith, worship and
charity begin in the family and
take root in the households of
our parishioners.
Expectations
5
1. SHARING COMMUNION
To have a Catholic wedding is more than finding a sacred space that feels
good to you and matches your childhood dreams. The essential expectation of couples preparing to
celebrate the sacrament of marriage at St. James Parish is that they celebrate Eucharist on Sunday. As
our parish mission statement says, "participation in Sunday Eucharist is
the highest and most perfect work of our parish." Such worship, then, must be part of the lives of all who
prepare for marriage, because it grounds our faith regularly,
reminding us of our need for God and God’s desire to come to us. If you are not going to church it
does not make sense to have a church wedding. To have a Catholic
wedding is to tell the world that your Catholic faith is an important part of
your life. If you are not going to Sunday Mass, it is hard to see how this is true.
2. PARISH MEMBERSHIP At least one member of the engaged
couple must be a registered member of a Catholic parish, St. James if you
live in Eau Claire. This should not be a mere formality, a matter of "going through the motions," but rather a
St. James Parish gladly accepts the
responsibility of assisting couples as they prepare for marriage. The
parish's marriage preparation program provides the engaged couple with the opportunity to prepare
prayerfully and wisely for the celebration of Christian marriage.
Marriage Preparation
God the eternal Father keep you
in love with each other, so that
the peace of Christ may stay
with you and be always in your
home
Rite of Marriage
6
sign of commitment to this faith com-
munity. In addition to celebrating Eucharist on Sunday, those seeking
to be married in the Catholic Church should witness to their faith in their daily lives, and be involved in their
parish. If the bride or groom is Catholic but
belongs to another parish, he or she must obtain written permission from
his or her pastor for the wedding to be celebrated at St. James. 3. TIMING OF A WEDDING
At St. James, weddings are not
celebrated during Advent or Lent because they are seasons of anticipation and penitence, not
consistent with the joy of a wedding liturgy.
4. LAST, AN EXPECTATION is that you will complete the marriage
preparation process. To find out what that involves, keep reading!
So that the “I do” of the spouses
may be a free and
responsible act and so that the
Marriage covenant may have
solid and lasting human and
Christian foundations,
preparation for Marriage is of
prime importance.
Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1632
Since marriage is one of the most
important decisions in the couple's life, a mature decision for marriage
can only be made after careful reflection on the nature of marriage and the responsibilities of married
life. A certain amount of time is needed to allow for that reflection. The bishops of Wisconsin have stated that the parish must be
contacted at least six months pri-or to the wedding date.
Time of Preparation
7
Before a wedding, it is easy to get
wrapped up in non-essential details and lose touch with sacred realities.
Marriage preparation helps couples stay grounded in the necessities of the occasion: God, the marriage
promises, love, fidelity, maturity, responsibility, freedom, commitment, and openness to life. The externals (dresses, tuxedos, pictures,
receptions, flowers, aisle runners, etc.) cannot be your primary
concerns as you prepare for what should be a deeply spiritual,
sacred celebration. A goal of marriage preparation is to help
couples maintain that perspective.
When you choose to get married in
the Catholic Church, you are asking
for more than a ceremony, a
church building and a musician. You
are asking to celebrate a sacra-
ment. You will make a vow before
God, family, friends, and your fu-
ture spouse. This is a momentous
promise and commitment.
Bishops of Wisconsin
Preparation Process
Couples will make an initial
appointment with the pastor; this can be done by phone or e-mail. The time
and date for the wedding can be scheduled during this meeting.
Next, couples will be paired with a married couple in the parish, who will serve as mentors and facilitate an im-
portant part of the marriage prepara-tion known as FOCCUS. FOCCUS is
a questionnaire that can be e-mailed to each of you, and addresses numer-ous issues and dimensions of married
life. It identifies strengths and weak-nesses in your relationship and so
helps the process by raising ques-tions and identifying concerns that couples can think about and discuss
with their mentor couple. It is not a test and you cannot pass or fail.
Couples will also attend a scheduled Diocesan Marriage Preparation Semi-
nar with other couples. These are of-fered in Eau Claire at St. Olaf parish-four times a year during the first half
of the calendar year, and run from Friday evening through Saturday af-ternoon. If your calendar doesn’t
allow you to attend one of these local seminars, we can help you find an-
other class. While a discussion of family planning and the Church’s teaching in this regard is part of this
day, couples are also encouraged to
8
Set your hearts on the greater
gifts. I will show you the way
which surpasses all
the others.
1 Corinthians 12:31
The Church always has taught that
sexual union belongs properly and exclusively within marriage.
Premarital sexual intercourse is premature because the relationship is not yet grounded in the permanent
commitment necessary to provide for a child.
The practice of living together is widespread today; indeed it may
seem like the normal thing to do. This practice, however, is a public action contrary to the Church's
teaching on marriage and family life. When a couple who have been living
together approach the Church to prepare for marriage, they will be asked to consider the effect of this
on their period of preparation. The option of living apart will also be discussed in an open and friendly
manner.
The Virtue of Chastity
9
attend sessions in Natural Family
Planning offered in the area. Upcoming sessions are announced in
the bulletin, and the priest working with you can offer such information. The cost for all of the marriage
preparation is $75.00.
When one of the engaged couple is
not Catholic, the couple is encouraged to receive instruction on
the Catholic faith. There is no pressure or expectation that the person become Catholic. The
education is an effort to help the couple appreciate the Catholic person’s background, and encourage
spiritual development.
The time of marriage preparation might lead some non-Catholics to consider initiation into the Catholic
faith. This may follow a greater exposure to the liturgical life of the
Church or stem from a desire for the couple to share a common faith. Those interested in becoming Cath-
olic would participate in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. Typi-cally this process begins in
September. You can call the priest or Parish Center to inquire further.
The very preparation for
Christian Marriage is itself a
journey of faith. It is a special
opportunity to rediscover and
deepen the faith received
in baptism.
John Paul II,
Familiaris Consortio
Instruction in the Faith
The following documents will be
required: A recently issued certificate of
baptism for Catholics and non-Catholics. Catholics also need to provide First Communion and
Necessary Documents
10
Your love must be sincere. De-
test what is evil, cling to what is
good. Love one another with the
affection of brothers.
Anticipate each other in showing
respect. Do not grow slack, but
be fervent in spirit: serve the
Lord.
Romans 12: 9 -11
11
Confirmation records. These
documents are obtained by contacting the church where the
person was baptized. If the Catho-lic person has not been Confirmed, this will be encouraged.
A civil marriage license obtained from any county clerk's office in Wisconsin. Application for a
license can be made as many as 30 days to as few as six days
before the wedding; there is a six day waiting period for the issuance of the license. Only one party
needs to be present at the time of application; both parties must be
present when the license is issued. The license should be brought to the wedding rehearsal and given to
the presiding priest. He will file the license with the Eau Claire County clerk.
In addition, there are several forms at
our parish office that you will fill out with the priest.
A previously married person who received a civil divorce might
require an annulment before being able to celebrate a Catholic Wedding. This process occurs sepa-
rate from marriage preparation, and typically takes 6
months to 1 year.
12
God himself is the author of
marriage (and) just as of old God
encountered his people with a
covenant love and fidelity, so our
Savior, the spouse of the Church,
now encounters Christian
spouses through the
sacrament of Marriage.
Church in the Modern World, Vatican II
When it comes to thinking about the
wedding liturgy, first remember that it is a Church liturgy, much like
Sunday Mass. Before you begin to recall what you've liked and disliked about other wedding ceremonies, and
before you begin listing what you would like at your wedding, take some time to consider what happens
on Sunday at St. James Parish.
On Sunday--and Saturday night-- a diverse and wonderful collection of people gathers to proclaim the good
news, to celebrate Christ's presence in the bread and wine, to share faith,
and to go forth to be Christ in the world.
It is important for couples to begin their marriage preparation by being attentive to the Sunday celebration of
the Eucharist. St James Parish puts a strong emphasis on all aspects of
Sunday worship- proclamation of Scripture, music, ministering communion, hospitality,
environment, etc. We expect that those who have gathered will join in the prayers and hymns; that all will
participate in giving thanks and praise to God. Those expectations do
not change when people gather for weddings. Just as the Sunday Mass is the primary time of worship for the
parish, so it is the primary model for
The Wedding Liturgy
all other occasions of worship,
including wedding liturgies.
This is not to say that the bride and groom do not have choices in regard to some elements of the celebration.
Indeed they do. However, it is important to remember that what is celebrated is rooted in the life of the
parish and the tradition of Catholic worship.
The assembly’s celebration, that
is, celebration in the midst of the
faith community, by the whole
community, is the normal and
normative way of celebrating any
sacrament or other liturgy.
Environment and Art in Catholic Wor-
ship,
US Bishops
13
Does it have to be a Mass? What if one of us is not Catholic?
When both groom and bride are Cath-
olic, the presumption is that the wed-ding will be in the context of the
Mass. In the Eucharist, Jesus gives his life
for us. That is what Christian mar-riage is all about! Spouses give their lives to each other. In addition, it is
important that as your lives are unit-ed at the wedding, you can
experience Communion together in the Eucharist.
If, however, the bride or groom is not
Catholic, it might make more sense
not to celebrate Eucharist at the
wedding. Catholic doctrine does not
allow for non-Catholics to receive
communion at Mass, and so, for the
sake of unity, we recommend the
Most of the necessary information
regarding the wedding liturgy is found in We Will Celebrate a Church Wedding by Fr. George R. Szews, a priest of the Diocese of La Crosse, which all couples will receive. This
book offers a valuable introduction to the Marriage Rite and its liturgical
considerations. The book explains the choices for Scripture readings, and includes the vows and
intercessions from which couples
Planning Guide
14
This is my commandment: love
one another as I love you. There
is no greater love than this, to
lay down one’s life for one’s
friends.
John 15:12-13
Marriage Rite without Communion. It
is not “less” of a sacrament, and may
foster more community than a
Eucharist in which few can
participate. The Marriage Rite without Communion includes the following:
Procession/Entrance Rite
Liturgy of the Word
Marriage Rite
Concluding Blessing
Procession out of church.
Also, a Catholic may choose to get
married in a non-Catholic partner’s
church with that church’s minister as
a witness. For that union to be valid
in the eyes of the Catholic Church, the Catholic party must receive
special permission and preparation
here at St. James Parish.
The love of man and woman is
made holy in the sacrament of
Marriage, and becomes the
mirror of your everlasting love.”
Preface,
Rite of Marriage
Order of Celebration
As indicated earlier, the wedding
liturgy mirrors the Sunday celebration.
THE ENTRANCE PROCESSION
As on Sunday, the liturgy begins with
a procession of the ministers. This is not a style show for the bride and her attendants, but rather a gathering of
the assembled family and friends of the bride and groom and the other
important people who will be part of the celebration.
The procession begins with the priest and any liturgical ministers (servers,
readers). Next come the attendants who process as couples, culminating with the best man and maid of honor.
The men and women walking together speaks of partnership and the equal importance of bride and groom.
Then the groom comes forward with his parents, followed by the
bride with her parents. When special circumstances make this
impossible, other arrangements are made, but the idea to include both parents in the liturgy honors their
15
can choose. It will be important to
spend time, as a couple and individually, reviewing and praying
about the readings and promises.
important role in rearing the groom
and bride. Including the parents speaks clearly to the Christian
notion of marriage in which both partners come from their families to begin a new family in the Church.
The antiquated custom of the bride's father "handing over" his daughter to the waiting groom came from the
non-Christian belief that the daughter was the fathers property.
LITURGY OF THE WORD
The proclamation of Scripture is a
primary element of the marriage rite. Couples choose the readings from
the Old Testament, a New Testament Epistle, and the Gospels. The responsorial psalm and homily
also are included in this section of the celebration.
THE MARRIAGE RITE
After the presider asks a series of
questions, the bride and groom, as the primary ministers of the sacrament, exchange their vows and
exchange rings. The church offers two options for the vows or the couple may write their own, with the
approval of the priest.
The rings are the recognized symbols of unity at a Catholic wedding. Lighting a "unity candle" is not part
of the Catholic marriage rite, and has no church tradition behind it.
This ritual is more suited for the head table at the wedding dinner.
16
The Church earnestly desires
that all the faithful be led to that
full, conscious, and
active participation in liturgical
celebrations called for by the
very nature of the liturgy...
LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST
When a wedding Mass is being celebrated, the gifts of bread and
wine are presented as the normal order of mass proceeds. At the Sign of Peace, members of the wedding
party are encouraged to offer a sign of Christ's peace to one another; the bride and groom may also share a
sign of peace with their parents and members of the assembly.
St. James offers both the body and blood of Christ at its Sunday
celebrations. This is encouraged for weddings too, but requires that
couples be able to find sufficient Eucharistic Ministers. In addition to the priest, two or five are required
depending on the size of the wedding.
CONCLUDING RITE
The liturgy concludes with a solemn blessing of the bride and groom, and
all those assembled. The bride and groom begin the procession out of church.
MINISTERS
The engaged couple may select one
or two people to proclaim the readings, one person to read the
General Intercessions, two or three people to present the gifts, two or five people to be Eucharistic
Ministers, and three or four ushers or greeters. Couples should choose
17
...Participation by the Christian
people in the liturgy is their right
and duty by reason of
their baptism.
Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy,
Vatican II
18
Have you come here freely to
give yourselves to each other in
marriage? Will you love each
other as man and wife for the
rest of your lives? Will you
accept children lovingly from
God and bring them up accord-
ing to the law of Christ and his
church?
Rite of Marriage
people with experience proclaiming
Scripture, or at least people who would be comfortable in that role.
Choose experienced Eucharistic Ministers from St. James or another parish.
Caution is urged in including small children in the wedding. We
discourage children younger than six years of age from participating in the
liturgy because their lack of maturity often causes distraction.
ENVIRONMENT
Our Church building is impressive in
its architecture and artistry. It is a beautiful place to worship. Couples preparing for marriage are
encouraged to consider these points: The Church is decorated
according to the liturgical seasons. For example, there are
many green and flowering plants during Easter time, but not as many during fall and winter. The
seasonal décor should not be modified. You are welcome to add many decorations, but please
check with the priest or liturgy coordinator.
Plants and flowers may be brought in for wedding liturgies, but they must be living or fresh
cut plants and flowers.
Give them the strength which
comes from the Gospel so that
they may be witnesses of Christ
to others.
Rite of Marriage
19
Please be sure someone is in
charge of taking down added decorations immediately after the
wedding.
WEDDING CUSTOMS
Some common wedding customs are rooted in superstition and are ill-suited for modern Christian
celebrations. The throwing of rice or seed outside church is a pagan
custom for luck. We do not believe this, plus it makes a mess and so we ask you not to do this. The belief
that a bride and groom cannot see each other before a wedding comes
from a time in which parents arranged marriages and feared evil spirits might interfere at the last
moment. Separating the bride and groom was seen as a precaution. It would be more appropriate for the
bride and groom to spend time together before the liturgy, and to be
at the doors of the church greeting worshipers as they arrive.
20
Music is an integral part of parish
worship on Sunday, so it is also essential to our celebrations of the
Sacrament of Marriage. At our weddings, those who gather are not invited guests, but rather fellow
worshipers. They must be drawn into active participation through song and prayer so they may fully share in the
joy of this sacred celebration.
In its document, Music in Catholic Worship, the U.S. Bishops' Committee on the Liturgy proposes
three questions concerning the choice and placement of music:
1. Is the music's text, form, placement and style congruent with the nature of the liturgy?
2. Is the music technically, aesthetically and expressively good irrespective of the idiom or style?
3. Will it help the assembly to pray?
Our music ministers are committed to following the guidelines and will help couples chose appropriate mu-
sic. Because marriage is an act of worship, it is a firm parish policy that all music selected must be of an
explicitly sacred nature. This includes the program of music prior to the
liturgy, since the purpose of such a program is to prepare the assembly to participate in the celebration. Songs
The faithful who gather together
to await the Lord’s coming are
instructed by the Apostle Paul to
sing together psalms, hymns and
inspired liturgical songs.
General Instruction on the
Roman Missal
Liturgical Music
Song is the sign of the heart’s
joy. Great importance should be
assigned to the use of singing
at Mass.
General Instruction on the
Roman Missal
of a secular nature are best reserved
for the wedding reception.
All couples preparing for marriage must meet with a music coordinator as soon as possible.
Vocalists, choir and instruments are all appropriate for the joyous nature
of the wedding liturgy. If you would like to have guests serve as
musicians, please consult the music coordinator before engaging guest musicians.
The parish musicians are dedicated
to excellence and will spend a great amount of time preparing for each wedding. Adequate compensation is
therefore required, just as it is for the professional services rendered by others who help arrange the
wedding. Contributions, listed on page 26 of this publication, are
based upon guidelines established by St. James Parish.
In all cases, the final decision regarding music remains with the Director of Sacred Music in
consultation with the priest involved with the wedding. Every effort will be
made to provide music which pleases the bride and groom, and which is in good taste and in conformity with
the highest liturgical standards.
21
Liturgy Program
Couples may want to have a
liturgical program or worship aid printed. This will enable everyone to
participate in the celebration and will help those unfamiliar with the Cath-olic liturgy to understand its basic
structure. While the worship aid is the responsibility of the couple, it should reflect the parts of the
liturgy including necessary prayer and hymn texts and information, as
well as, other art and content appropriate to the occasion. Sample formats for the two forms
of marriage celebration are on the next page.
If the front page of the liturgy
program contains artwork and
possibly the names of the bride and
groom, the order of the liturgy could be on page two. The names of the
people in the wedding party and
ministers of the liturgy could be listed
on page three. It might also be
desirable to include words and
music to hymns and acclamations
that will be sung by the assembly
during the liturgy. The priest
assisting the couple with marriage
preparation or the Director of Sacred
Music should be consulted about any
questions regarding the program.
22
Among the many signs and sym-
bols used by the Church to
celebrate its faith, music is of
preeminent importance.
Music in Catholic Worship, US Bishops
Parish Office
715.835-5887
Coordinator of Sacred
Music:
Mary Kolstad
715-577-6678
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on
sori
al P
salm
P
salm
33
“T
he
eart
h i
s fu
ll o
f th
e good
nes
s of
the
Lo
rd.”
S
econ
d R
eadin
g
1
Cori
nth
ian
s 12
:31-1
3:1
3
G
osp
el
M
atth
ew 1
9:3
-6
H
om
ily
Rit
e of
Mar
riag
e
S
tate
men
t of
Inte
nti
on
s
C
on
sen
t
Ble
ssin
g a
nd E
xch
ange
of
Rin
gs
G
ener
al I
nte
rces
sion
s
P
lease
res
pon
d,
“L
ord
, h
ear
ou
r p
raye
r.”
T
he
Lo
rd’s
Pra
yer
Ble
ssin
g
Rec
essi
on
al
H
orn
pip
e (H
and
el)
Ple
ase
jo
in i
n s
ing
ing a
s dir
ecte
d b
y th
e ca
nto
r.
...The spouses receive the Holy
Spirit as the communion of love
of Christ and the Church. The
Holy Spirit is a seal of their
covenant, the ever-available
source of their love and
strength.
Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1624
Rehearsal
The rehearsal is usually held the
evening before the wedding. The
presiding priest will meet with the
couple prior to the rehearsal to
review the liturgy and answer any questions that are unresolved. The
rehearsal is not the time to modify
the plans that have been made
already. Couples should stress that
attendants, ministers and family
members be on time for the
rehearsal.
The following items should be
brought to the rehearsal:
1. Checks covering the various
fees and contributions. 2. The civil marriage license.
St. James Church is a house of
worship. Reverence is expected at all times among members of the
wedding party, family members, photographers and others present. Loud talking, standing on pews, and
inappropriate clothing are not viewed as signs of reverence. The bride and groom should inform
guests of these expectations and make sure they are honored.
No food or beverages are to be taken into the Church at any time. Snacks
Decorum
24
May you always bear witness to
the love of God in this world, so
that the afflicted and the needy
will one day welcome you into the
joys of heaven.
Rite of Marriage
During the liturgy, photographers
should use only available lighting.
An exception is made so that flash
may be used for the processional
and recessional. For posed pictures before or after the liturgy, no
backdrops or umbrellas are to be
used in the church. Such items
require additional set up time and
produce harsh shadows.
The use of flash photography and
lighting with video cameras during
the wedding liturgy is not permitted.
A maximum of one hour may be
used for taking pictures of the
Photography
25
and non-alcoholic beverages may be
provided for the wedding party in the Gathering Space. Please check with
the priest, and make sure to clean up afterwards. Those intending to receive communion are reminded of
the Eucharistic fast, refraining from food and drink one hour before communion. It is always improper to
chew gum in a church.
Alcoholic beverages cannot be brought into the Church building, nor consumed on parish property.
Consumption of alcohol before a wedding rehearsal and wedding
liturgy is strictly forbidden.
Praise the name of the Lord, for
his name alone is exalted!
Psalm 148:12 It is customary to make an offering
to the parish at the time of their
marriage. This contribution supports
the works of charity of the parish. In this way a married couple expresses
gratitude to God by remembering the
poor. This offering is $75 for parish
members, and $250 for non-parish
members. The priest receives any-
thing above those amounts, unless
otherwise designated.
Consultation with the Director of
Sacred Music is $25. Depending on
the desires of the couple, the
remaining fees are on an individual basis.
Remember to bring checks covering
the various fees and contributions to
the rehearsal.
Contributions
26
wedding party. This may be before
the ceremony, always insuring that
the 30 minutes immediately before
the liturgy are not used for this
purpose.
After the liturgy, the wedding party
is asked to assist in gathering liturgy
programs, helping to move kneelers,
cleaning up the bride’s room and
removing flowers, decorations or an-
ything else brought in for the cere-
mony. The church should be cleared by 3:00 for the 3:30 p.m.
Reconciliation and 4:30 Liturgy.
May the Lord Jesus, who was a
guest at the wedding feast in
Cana, bless you and your families
and friends.
Rite of Marriage
27
A Final Prayer
May God, who draws
husbands and wives together
give peace, love and joy to you
and your families
during this exciting time
in your lives.
Enjoy the Blessings of God!
Amen.
28
Phone Numbers & E-mail Addresses
Parish Office
715.835-5887
Fr. Tom Krieg
MUSIC FOR WEDDINGS: Dan Kneer
715.874-6087
[email protected] Mary Kolstad
715-577-6678 [email protected]
Becky Santine (Soloist) [email protected]
Mike Kolstad (guitar & soloist) [email protected]
