Sacred Scripture begins with the creation of man and woman in the image and likeness of God and concludes with a vision of “the wedding-feast of the Lamb.”85 Scripture speaks throughout of marriage and its “mystery,” its institution and the meaning God has given it, its origin and its end, its various realizations throughout the history of salvation, the difficulties arising from sin and its renewal “in the Lord” in the New Covenant of Christ and the Church.86
“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.”87 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,88 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.”89
The Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1603, 1604
The Sacrament of Marriage is administered through St. John’s with great care and careful planning and preparation. Registered parishioners who are interested in preparing for and scheduling the Sacrament of Marriage at St. John’s should contact the parish office at 952-474-8868.
Please note that scheduling cannot be done through the parish office staff, as the Marriage Preparation process must be initiated through the Pastor before any calendaring may be done.
Required Marriage Preparation Steps include:
- Membership in St. John’s Parish.
- 3 to 5 meetings with the priest or deacon who will preside at the wedding ceremony. This includes completing the required sacramental documentation.
- FOCCUS Inventory. (The FOCCUS Inventory is an Archdiocesan-approved tool for all couples preparing for entering the Sacrament of Marriage. FOCCUS is an internationally used inventory designed to provide engaged couples and those working with them a personalized profile of what is needed in their marriage preparation process, offering a list of items for discussion, affirmation or problem solving.)
- Two meetings with a Mentor Couple to review and discuss the FOCCUS Inventory.
- Archdiocese Marriage Preparation Weekend (Friday evening – Saturday).
- Planning meeting with Director of Music & Liturgy and the Wedding Coordinator.
- Wedding rehearsal (usually the evening preceding the wedding at 5:00-6:30).
Couples must submit all payments and civil marriage documents to the church office two weeks prior to their wedding date so they may be filled out accurately; they must supply the full name of the two witnesses at the same time. They must also provide a draft of the worship aid/program for approval prior to printing.
Contact:
Church Office
952-474-8868
stjohns@stjohns-excelsior.org