Marriage


Marriage is a sacrament of commitment, service and is a vocation in its own right. In it, a man and a woman pledge their love to one another before a priest and two witnesses. The couple promises to live a life of fidelity to one another and to accept children as a gift from God and raise them in the faith of the Church. Marriage is understood as a symbol of the great, unconditional love that God has for the Church. Unless there is an "impediment," i.e. something that affects the validity of the couple’s consent, in the marriage, a Catholic marriage is understood to last until the death of one of the spouses.
Arrangements for the sacrament of marriage must be made at least six months in advance.