Marriage

You must be registered at either St. Joan of Arc or St. Patrick for at least 6 months in order to meet with a priest to begin marriage preparation. Marriage preparation is a minimum of 6 months. To begin the process please call Jill Aaron at 765-865-9964  ext 105. 

For Roman Catholics, marriage is more than a legal contract or a serious covenant. Marriage is SACRED and HOLY. The church proclaims that it is a Sacrament, meaning that all through marriage, the Almighty Trinity reveal their divine love and grace. St. Paul and the early Fathers of the Church, both East and West, define marriage as a reflection and witness of how Jesus interacts with and loves the Church. Jesus is the Bridegroom and the Church is His bride. Therefore, we at St. Joan of Arc are extremely serious about our responsibilities in preparing a couple for this great sacrament.

Serious preparation takes time; therefore we ask that if you are planning to marry and neither of you has been married before please contact the church office at least six months ahead. Please do not purchase a wedding gown or reserve your reception venue until you have met with the priest and have a date set.

Couples will take a readiness instrument called FOCCUS. The results are reviewed in private with a priest. Couples are also required to attend Pre-Cana workshop. Registration for Pre-Cana is handled through the diocesan Pastoral Office: www.dol-in.org/marriage-preparation

In the Sacrament of Marriage, the bride is the minister of the sacrament to the groom and the groom to the bride. Bishops, priests or deacons do not confer the sacrament. They are the official Church witness.

 If you were married outside the church and want your marriage convalidated in the church, please contact the church office at 765-865-9964 ext 105.

If you or your spouse has previous marriage(s) in the church, by other faith ministers, or civil authorities, and the former spouse is still living, you need to go through the process of annulling the previous marriage(s). This process is required by people marrying in the church or joining the Catholic Church [RCIA] who have previous marriages and are remarried.

For discussion or information on previous marriages, please call Jill Aaron at 765-865-9964  ext 105.