It is an exciting time when you meet the one you love and look forward to the rest of your lives together. The Church earnestly desires to assist all engaged couples to be fully prepared for a lifetime of love and joy together. But preparing for your marriage must be more than meeting a set of requirements! The marriage prep program is meant to help couples understand more about one another and about the beautiful vision of marital love that is the heart of Christian marriage.
Contact your parish as soon as possible–at least six months before your wedding date, preferably one year before your wedding.
You will need to discuss the marriage preparation process, determine canonical and civil eligibility for marriage, and explore the possibility for the sacrament of Confirmation if needed. You will also be able to discuss any questions or concerns that you may have, e.g. about a prior marriage, differences in faith (Catholic and non-Catholic), or if one of you may be from a different diocese.
Please remember, it is essential to have this meeting as early as possible to have enough time to resolve any particular issues, obtain necessary documents, and attend the marriage preparation programs offered.
The process and requirements to be married within the Catholic Church in the Diocese of Madison can be found by following the link below.
