If you wish to be married in Cuero at St Michael or Our Lady of Guadalupe call the church office at 361-275-3554
The Sacrament of Holy Matrimony
Marriage Guidelines Effeictive March 2019
St. Michael’s and Our Lady of Guadalupe welcomes you and congratulates you on your upcoming marriage! Great care is taken to see that special moment is graceful, beautiful, and, most importantly, prayerful and revenant.
You are preparing for a life time commitment. Thus, the Church asks you to prepare for this major commitment by attending a preparation process that will address the theology of marriage; communication skills; etc. Your marriage preparation and wedding day are a holy time of prayer.
Your wedding day will take a great deal of preparation. Remember to keep important things important. Everything else will work out!
Initial Meeting & Scheduling Engaged couples planning to marry at St. Michael’s or Our Lady of Guadalupe must arrange a meeting with the priest at least SIX months prior to the wedding, at which the initial paperwork verifying freedom to marry is completed, and a date for the wedding can be reserved. To schedule this appointment, please call our Parish Office at 361-275-3554. Couples are not to make other firm commitments or to make a reception hall deposit until after the date, time and eligibility to be married in the Catholic Church has been confirmed. The latest a Saturday marriage mass can begin is at 2 pm for St. Michael’s, and 3 pm at Our Lady of Guadalupe.
The priest must determine that both parties are free to marry before he can confirm a date. If one or both parties have been married in the Catholic Church, or have gone through any form of marriage outside of the Catholic Church, they are not free to marry in the Catholic Church until all previous marriages have been declared null by a Catholic Tribunal or have ended with the death of one of the spouses. The time and date CANNOTbe set until it has been confirmed that both parties are free to marry.
Marriage Preparation All couples are required to participate in the marriage preparation process that is approved by the Diocese of Victoria. The process usually consists of 4 or 5 meetings with the priest, a pre-marriage online evaluation, an approved Marriage Preparation retreat, and all necessary paperwork. The pre-marriage inquiry is done online at www.prepare-enrich.com, and the couple will be registered via email address at their first meeting. Separate email accounts are required for the bride and groom as the inquiry is done separately. This is NOT a compatibility test, rather it is a tool used to evaluate areas of a relationship that may benefit from further discussion.
All couples must attend a marriage preparation retreat weekend offered by the Diocese of Victoria. Since not all couples are the same, the diocese offers two different programs are that are geared for couples at various states in their lives. Couples are responsible to pay for the cost of retreat.
Engaged Encounteris a 3-day 2-night retreat held at the Spiritual Renewal Center just south of Victoria, TX. Engaged Encounter is the preferred marriage preparation program of the Diocese of Victoria. It is geared towards couples who are just starting out and need to address the topics of communication, spirituality, and personal development. Please register at victoriadiocese.org
To Love as God Lovesis a 1 day retreat normally held on a Sunday at Holy Family Catholic Church in Victoria, TX. It is a Marriage Preparation Program for couples 40 and over, seeking convalidation, seeking a second marriage and beyond. Please register at victoriadiocese.org
With pastor’s approval, it is possible for a couple to part take in another Catholic Diocese’s marriage retreat.
Documents Needed The following documents are required and must be promptly provided to STM/OLG. There are no exceptions to these documents; every parish is required to include these documents in the wedding file, prior to any wedding taking place.
For Catholic Parties: Baptismal Certificate(s) or a Profession of Faith Certificate issued within six monthsfrom the Catholic Church of your baptism or where you became a Catholic, with any sacramental notations listed on the back. This includes all declarations of nullity, if applicable. For Baptized Christian Parties: Proof of baptism (certificate of baptism or letter from minister orwitnesses) for a baptized Christian (other than Roman Catholic). This includes all declarations of nullity, if applicable.
Two Affidavits of Freedom to Marry (see forms in wedding packet) eachfor the groom and bride, provided by the church, completed and returned. A valid civil Marriage License can be obtained at any County Clerk’s Office in Texas and be used anywhere in Texas. Texas law states a marriage license will expire 30 days from the date it is issued, and it must be secured at least 72 hours prior to the wedding. However, STM/OLG requires your marriagelicense to be in the parish office at least one week prior to the wedding. Without a valid civil marriage license, there will notbe a wedding.
Liturgy and the Rite of Marriage The Catholic Rite of Marriage takes place within the Sacred Liturgy. By its nature, Sacred Liturgy is a celebration of the universal church. The wedding liturgy reflects this aspect when a groom and bride profess their solemn vows to each other before God and His people assembled.
The Rite of Marriage may be celebrated during Mass or outside of Mass (Liturgy of the Word with no Holy Communion).
Rite of Marriage during Mass is the norm when both the bride and the groom are practicing Catholics
· Rite of Marriage outside of Mass (Liturgy of the Word with no Holy Communion) is the norm when a Catholic marries a baptized Christian of another faith. (Circumstances may allow exceptions.)
Rite of Marriage outside of Mass (Liturgy of the Word with no Holy Communion) is the norm when a Catholic marries a non-baptized person.
To prepare for the Rite of Marriage outside a Mass, a book will be given which outlines options for the prayers and scripture readings. These options will be discussed further during the marriage prep meetings.
Music Music is an important part of a wedding celebration and our Music Director or organist are available to help you choose pieces suitable for this liturgical event. Any financial arrangements are to be made directly with the musician. Please note that outside musicians are welcomed, but they must be approved by the Pastor, including all selected music. Secular music is not allowed before, during or after the wedding.
Flowers & Decorations Flowers are permitted as part of the wedding environment, as long as they do not distract from the focus of the wedding (the exchange of consent) and do not cause danger of falling, and/or damage to the building or furnishings. Church decorations of the current liturgical season MUST NOT be moved. No flowers are to be placed on the high altar. Please consider the Liturgical Season when selecting a date, there are NO flower permitted during lent. All decorations must be approved by the pastor and the priest reserves the right to decline the use of certain decorations. Thumbtacks and tape are never allowed. Rice, flower petals (real or artificial), confetti, birdseed, etc. are prohibited for safety and maintenance reasons. Remove all floral arrangements, photography equipment, etc. from the church immediately following the celebration. Photos and video cameras are acceptable provided they do not become a distraction during your celebration. Photographers are not allowed into the sanctuary.
House of God Conduct Boisterous conduct is out of place; as is food/drinks/gum chewing. The more that you leave the doors open, the warmer it will be in the church. Please keep all doors closed as much as possible. It is imperative that an atmosphere of prayer be maintained before, during and after the wedding celebration. Under no circumstances should alcohol be consumed prior to the service. The bride and groom are responsible for the behavior of their guests and must ensure that it is fitting with the sacred nature of the event. Wedding and bridesmaid dress are to be appropriate for a church setting. Strapless and low cut dress do not fit with the sacred setting of holy matrimony.
Fee Schedule for Weddings As with everything else, there are costs associated with keeping our beautiful churches operational and properly maintained. The fees below do not cover the entire cost of hosting your wedding, but they do help defray the expenses.
STM/OLG Parishioner Fees (active stewardship*): $300 *Stewardship is defined by: time, talent, and treasure.
Time & Talent: Consistently offering your time and talent to the parish (regular participating in Sunday Mass, frequent attendance at parish events, actively involved in ministries, etc.)
Treasure: Using your church envelopes for the previous year. You must have been registered and contributing using your church envelope for an entire year PRIOR to scheduling the church.
STM/OLG Canonical* Parishioner Fees (non-stewardship): $500 *A Canonical Parishioner is anyone currently living (domicile) or having recently lived (quasi-domicile) in the geographical parish boundaries of STM/OLG Non-Parishioner* Rate: $1000 * A non-parishioner is anyone living outside of the parish boundaries.
A 50% deposit is due once date is confirmed. The remaining 50% is due at least 7 days prior to wedding.