Marriage (Holy Matrimony)

Understanding the Sacrament

"That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one body." -- Genesis 2:24

Matrimony is one of the two sacraments of service. Married couples promise to serve each other with love and to serve the whole Church. They enter into a lifelong covenant of love. This is their vocation. They serve the Church by their love and they share in God's creation in a special way when they give birth to children. In Matrimony, God gives a man and woman the special grace and blessings to build a Christian family together. The Church celebrates the call to love in a special way in the sacrament of Matrimony or marriage.

The Sacrament of Matrimony, whereby a man and woman are joined together in a life-long union of procreative love, is a calling from God. The creator established this purpose from the very beginning by the very manner in which He made men and women. Jesus taught that the nature of marriage itself reflects the indivisible unity of the love of God. In this way Jesus raised the natural bond of marriage to a supernatural sacrament of life and love.

Marriage Preparation

Congratulations on your engagement! The movement toward this life choice, the union of marriage, is, therefore, a moment requiring careful deliberation and spiritual preparation. Couples who wish to be married at Saint Thomas Aquinas must contact the Parish Office or our Parish Priest at least 6 months before the intended wedding date. There are a series of pre-marriage meetings and Pre-Cana must also be completed. The date of a wedding cannot be confirmed in the calendar until the couple has met with our parish priest for an initial meeting.

Please refer to our Saint Thomas Aquinas Wedding Planner for more information.

Have you been married before?

If you have been married before and now wish to re-marry in the Catholic Church, we want to help you celebrate your new union and continue to participate fully in the Sacramental life of the Church. If your previous spouse is deceased, you are free to marry in the Church.

If your previous spouse is still living, the marriage between the two of you must receive a declaration of nullity by the Catholic Church before any wedding date can be set. Please contact the parish office for assistance. We are always happy to help with this issue; all inquiries are confidential.

Contact: Keri Dailey, 740-453-3301 ext. 114