“The intimate community of life and love which constitutes the married state has been established by the Creator and endowed by him with its own proper laws. . . . God himself is the author of marriage.” The vocation to marriage is written in the very nature of man and woman as they came from the hand of the Creator. Marriage is not a purely human institution despite the many variations it may have undergone through the centuries in different cultures, social structures, and spiritual attitudes. These differences should not cause us to forget its common and permanent characteristics. Although the dignity of this institution is not transparent everywhere with the same clarity, some sense of the greatness of the matrimonial union exists in all cultures. “The well-being of the individual person and of both human and Christian society is closely bound up with the healthy state of conjugal and family life. (CCC 1603)
The importance of Marriage within the Church:
Sacred Scripture begins with the creation and union of man and woman and ends with “the wedding feast of the Lamb” (Rev 19:7, 9). Scripture often refers to marriage, its origin and purpose, the meaning God gave to it, and its renewal in the covenant made by Jesus with his Church. Man and woman were created for each other. By their marriage, the couple witnesses Christ’s spousal love for the Church. One of the Nuptial Blessings in the liturgical celebration of marriage refers to this in saying, “Father, you have made the union of man and wife so holy a mystery that it symbolizes the marriage of Christ and his Church.” The Sacrament of Marriage is a covenant, which is more than a contract. Covenant always expresses a relationship between persons. The marriage covenant refers to the relationship between the husband and wife, a permanent union of persons capable of knowing and loving each other and God. The celebration of marriage is also a liturgical act, appropriately held in a public liturgy at church. Catholics are urged to celebrate their marriage within the Eucharistic Liturgy. (USCCB)
If you are engaged, and want to be married within this parish, we are excited to help you prepare for this sacrament! Please call 315-536-7459 ASAP, at least six months in advance of a wedding date. The preparation process is called Pre-Cana, and there are guidelines for weddings. Meeting with the priest in your home parish is the first step, especially if your wedding will be a “destination wedding.” (Permission to perform the ceremony will need to come from your home parish.) After consultation with the pastor, depending on the needs of the couple, the Pre-Cana can be done in person or online. If the online Pre-Cana is chosen, couples register directly at www.dor.org
Some Great Resources to review before calling or celebrating the Sacrament can be found here: (Recommended by the Diocese of Rochester)
- Marriage: A Unique Reason
- Marriage: Strengthened in Love
- For your Marriage
- Saying I do (Youtube Video)
“The matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life, is by its nature ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring; this covenant between baptized persons has been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a sacrament. (CCC 1601)
Couples need to carve time out of their busy lives for each other. Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekends are for that purpose. They give couples time to focus on each other and deepen their communication. After the Encounter, couples often return to their life and families refreshed with renewed commitment to each other. www.wwme.org 
But, what if your marriage has soured? The Church wants to throw you a lifeline! Click on the link to learn more. Retrouvaille