GETTING MARRIED?
Maybe you have not made the final decision yet, but if you have - Congratulations! The Christian community wishes you every blessing and happiness. Your desire to marry in Church is your invitation to Christ to be at the heart of your relationship. We hope that the information contained in this leaflet will be of help to you in a practical way as you prepare for your marriage.
WHAT TO DO
As soon as you have decided to marry, and prior to booking the hotel, the Bride-to-be contacts her local priest informing him of her plans and the proposed date of marriage. The Groom-to-be must also contact his local priest. lt is recommended to book the church 12 months in advance in order to avoid disappointment. ln view of demand it is essential to book the pre-marriage course at this time also.
FIXING THE DATE
When you are deciding on a date, please keep the following in mind: Civil and Church law requires three months’ notice, in cases where dispensations are required, six months’ notice of intention to marry is required by the diocese.
SUNDAY WEDD1NGS: On account of their considerable workload, the priests of the diocese are not obliged to officiate at weddings on Sundays or major feast days. Weddings cannot take place on Holy Thursday, Good Friday, or Holy Saturday.
DOCUMENTATION
Each of you will need the following:
- 2 Blue and white forms from the Town Hall In Enniskillen, completed by both parties and also signed by the officiant (priest doing the wedding).
- A pre-nuptial enquiry form completed by your priest.
- A recent baptismal certificate from the Church where you were baptised.
- A confirmation certificate.
- A letter or letters of freedom.
A non-Catholic requires a baptismal certificate and an affidavit, stating that he/she was never married before in a civil or religious ceremony.
Affidavit
I_________, of__________, aged twenty-one years and upwards, hereby make oath and say, 1. I have lived at ________ from: ________ to: ________ and at from:________ to:________ and at________ from:__________ to:________ 2. I have never entered into a marriage civil, religious or apparent. 3. I make this oath for the benefit of the Roman Catholic parish of Kinawley-KIllesher in the diocese of Kilmore. Signed_________ on the________ day of ________two thousand and Signed:________ Witnessed:_________.Where dispensations are required, for example in the case of mixed marriages, the priest will have to contact the Bishop. All the documentation in relation to the wedding should be with the priest of the parish where the wedding is taking place at least a month before the wedding.
LIVING ABROAD
If both of you are living abroad, please arrange for your local priest there to handle the papers. The papers are then sent into the local chancery/diocesan office before being returned to Ireland, to the following address: Rev. Diocesan Secretary, Bishop's House, Cullies, Cavan. Please note that the papers are not posted directly to the officiating priest in Ireland. As the papers have to be processed and sent to the parish in question, please ensure that the papers arrive at the above address at least two months before the wedding. As a general rule, marriage papers must be attended to in good time in order to avoid panic, confusion and possible disappointment at the last moment.
RE-MARRIAGE
If either of you have been married before, it is necessary to speak with a priest in order to establish whether you are free to re-marry in the Catholic Church, before making any other arrangements for the wedding. This is of the utmost importance. if you are marrying a non-Catholic who was previously married in a civil or religious ceremony, he or she may need an annulment from the Catholic Church. There are also important civil law issues. Freedom to re-marry in the eyes of the Catholic Church does not mean that you are automatically free in the eyes of the State. If you have a Church annulment for example, a civil divorce is needed in order to re-marry civilly. If you have a foreign divorce, you will need to check as to whether it is recognised in civil law.
PRE-MARRIAGE COURSES
Preparation for marriage is mandatory for each couple. This preparation takes place in the pre-marriage course; with your local priest; and/or with the priest officiating at your wedding. A pre-marriage course involves being with other engaged couples in a relaxed and informal atmosphere; listening to married people talking about their own experience of marriage; learning more about different aspects of married life. Most couples find them helpful, interesting and encouraging. Couples may either do their pre-marriage course in Cavan or in Enniskillen, preferably in Cavan as it is in the Diocese of Kilmore. Accord Cavan: Tel.049-4375004 www.accord.i.e Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Accord Enniskillen: Tel: 028 66325696
THE CEREMONY
You will have to make a decision about the kind of ceremony you want. There are two kinds of ceremony in the Catholic Church. One is a wedding ceremony with Nuptial Mass. The other is a wedding ceremony without Mass. if one of you is non Catholic, you and your family may feel more at home with the latter ceremony. A wedding ceremony without Mass is the form your marriage will take if one of you is not baptised (Disparity of Cult). During the days before the marriage it is strongly recommended to couples to prepare spiritually by receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The evening of the wedding rehearsal may provide such an opportunity. WEDDINGS IN ROME For information please contact the secretary in the Irish College in Rome, giving your names, a forwarding address, and the date on which you hope to get married. This is the first step. You will then receive an information pack. Included in this information pack will be information concerning the `Nulla Osta' from the Department of Foreign Affairs. The secretary will let you know if the date you seek is available. Please contact your local clergy well in advance for the usual required documentation. Both sets of marriage papers are sent to Rome via the Bishop's office.
CHURCH EXPENSES
Bearing in mind that the preparation and celebration of a wedding involves considerable work for the priest, it is customary to give a donation to the priest on the occasion of your wedding. If you're getting married in your own parish, your normal contributions to the upkeep of the Church ensure that you will not have to pay anything for the use of the Church.
USEFUL NUMBERS
Tel: 028 66348250 (Fr. Kelly); Tel: 049 9521221 (Fr. Fitzpatrick) Tel: 049 4331496 (Bishop’s Office)
IRISH COLLEGE ROME
The College office is open from Monday to Friday from 8.30 am until 5.00pm. Via dei Santi Quattro, 1 – 00184 Roma (Italia) Telephone Number: +39 06 7726.31; Fax Number: +39 06 7726.3323 E-mail 1: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. E-mail 2: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. To arrange your wedding at the Irish College Telephone 00 39 06 77263501 Fax 00 39 06 77263520 E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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