Diocese of Jefferson City - 
https://diojeffcity.org/our-church/life-and-marriage/marriage-preparation/
 

DIOCESAN POLICY

The couple is encouraged to contact the pastor or pastoral administrator of their intention to marry six (6) months (minimum of 4 months) prior to the desired date of the wedding.

The assessment process will involve a number of steps to assist the pastor and the couple in discerning readiness for marriage.

These steps include:

1. All Roman Catholics are required by Church law to be married in a Church building. To fulfill this expectation a Catholic must be a registered practicing member of a local parish, has received the sacrament of Confirmation, and must be of legal age by Church and state law.
2. Couples desiring to be married in a Catholic wedding in the Diocese of Jefferson City are to notify their pastor or parish administrator directly and in person as soon as they have the intention to enter into marriage, no less than six months before the desired date and preferably a year. This notification is not to take place by way of a third party relative.
3. The pastor, parish administrator, or delegate, will meet with the couple to explain the marriage preparation process. Marriage preparation will include completing a relationship assessment instrument, e.g. FOCCUS, which assesses the couple’s communication skills in varying areas of their relationship, as well as surfacing attitudes about marriage and the Christian faith. The results of the assessment are discussed with the couple.
4. The couple is highly encouraged to attend a program such as Pre-Cana, or Engaged Encounter, depending on which is available in their respective area.
5. During the pastoral meetings, the couple will establish a date of marriage and discuss the details of the wedding ceremony itself, such as the music, scriptural readings, decorations, etc., with the pastor or parish administrator or delegate.
6. If one or both parties are under the age of 19, an additional special process for “teenage” marriages is required before approval can be given for the wedding to take place in the Catholic Church.
7. If either of the parties intending the marriage has been a part of a previous marital union, no date can be set for a future wedding until the previous bond has been set aside through a process conducted by the Matrimonial Tribunal. This process, often times referred to as the “annulment process”, can take more than one year by itself. Please let the pastor or parish administrator know in the very first meeting if any previous marital bonds exist.

For further information contact the Tribunal Office of the Diocese of Jefferson City: https://diojeffcity.org/our-church/tribunal/ 

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