Congratulations on your engagement! We at St. Luke’s wish you every blessing as you begin your journey toward marriage. This time of preparation during your engagement is a time of great joy; however, it can also be a very stressful time for many. The following information should help you as you begin the process of preparing as a couple for the Sacrament of Matrimony.

Click here to view our Sacrament of Matrimony Guidelines.

“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” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1601).

Bringing your Marriage Into the Church – Convalidation of Civil Marriages.
Are you married Civilly, but not in a Catholic Ceremony?  The Church very much wants to assist couples who want to enter into valid Catholic marriage, and it offers them pastoral and spiritual support as they need it. When these couples are ready and free to do so, they celebrate what is called a convalidation, from the Latin word meaning “to firm up” or “to strengthen.”

This is sometimes referred to as the blessing of a marriage.   It is important to realize that a convalidation is not merely a renewal of vows made previously, but is a new act of consent by each spouse. This new act of consent is essential to marriage, and the words that the couple expresses are the outward sign of the gift of self that they exchange.

The Catholic Church invites you to bring new meaning to your lives by embracing the vocation of marriage and dedicating your families mission to sharing God’s love.

Convalidation – Bringing your Marriage into the Church