Matrimony

Congratulations on your upcoming Sacramental Marriage in the Catholic Church! 

We are delighted that you are preparing for the Sacrament of Matrimony with us. It is our hope and prayer that through your journey of preparation, you will acquire a deeper understanding of God’s plan for your marriage, and you will learn truths and skills to help you live out your new vocation.
 
When a couple in a sacramental marriage keeps their vows, others are a witness to that love and commitment.  The love you share will bring God’s presence into the world. Through your marriage, you will represent the very relationship between Christ and His Church. What an honor and a blessing!
 
Preparation of marriage is a process is a mutual process of responsibility.  Both of you are required to fulfill different steps of the requirements of the Church in order to help you to have long lasting marriage. 
 
STEPS FOR MARRIAGE PREPARATION IN THE DIOCESE OF AUSTIN. 
 
Although we recognize that all of your life has been preparing you for this new journey in faith, we believe that the seriousness of the marriage commitment requires an equally serious time of immediate preparation set aside before the sacramental celebration. We are not preparing you for a wedding day; we are preparing you for a life-long marriage. Click here to read more https://austindiocese.org/marriage-preparation.

WORDS OF WISDOM ON THE SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY

Today engaged couples in the United States live in a social and cultural setting that has undergone so much change over the past 50 years that the very understanding of marriage has radically changed. In our post-industrial society many factors -- such as longer life spans, lower fertility rate, higher education, the rising status of women, high mobility, and changing economic realities -- have combined to alter the primary goals of marriage in our society. People today expect more from their spouse than ever before." (Texas Catholic Conference)
 
“Preparation for marriage, for married and family life, is of great importance for the good of the Church. In fact, the sacrament of Marriage has great value for the whole Christian community and, in the first place, for the spouses whose decision is such that it cannot be improvised or made hastily. Marriage preparation constitutes a providential and favourable period for those oriented toward this Christian sacrament, and a Kayrs, i.e., a period in which God calls upon the engaged and helps them discern the vocation to marriage and family life. The engagement period is set within the context of a rich evangelization process. In fact, questions that affect the family converge in the life of the engaged, the future spouses. They are therefore invited to understand the meaning of the responsible and mature love of the community of life and love which their family will be, a real domestic church which will contribute toward enriching the whole Church." (Alfonso Cardinal Lopez Trujillo, President of the Pontifical Council for the Family)
 
"What is needed is a profound pastoral reflection in order to promote the dignity of Christian marriage, the reflection and realization of Christ's love for His Church. It is important to help couples to achieve the human and spiritual maturity necessary to undertake... their mission as Christian spouses and parents, reminding them that their love is unique, indissoluble, and that marriage contributes to the full realization of their human and Christian vocation." (Pope Benedict XVI, October 19, 2007)

Please complete this MARRIAGE INTAKE FORM and e-mail Deacon Phúc Phan at deaconphuc@saintalbert.org when you are done or if you have any questions.