The sacraments make Christ present in our midst. Like the other sacraments, marriage is not just for the good of individuals, or the couple, but for the community as a whole. The Catholic Church teaches that marriage between two baptized persons is a sacrament. The Old Testament prophets saw the marriage of a man and woman as a symbol of the covenant relationship between God and his people. The permanent and exclusive union between husband and wife mirrors the mutual commitment between God and his people. The Letter to the Ephesians says that this union is a symbol of the relationship between Christ and the Church.
In the same way, husbands should love their wives as they do their own bodies. The man who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hates his own body; rather, he nourishes it and cares for it, even as Christ does for the Church, because we are members of his body. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. (Ephesians 5:28-31)
For those getting married in the Catholic Church, the highpoint of the wedding day is the wedding liturgy, where the bride and groom become husband and wife in the lifelong covenant of marriage (a sacrament for baptized Christians). Thoughtful, prayerful planning and participation in your Catholic wedding ceremony will bring many blessings to your married life.
Because the Catholic Church wants couples to form strong, lasting marriages, couples who wish to marry in the Catholic Church are asked to:
- Contact your local pastor first
- You will be required to take Pre-Cana classes
- You must provide proof of baptism and a Christian lifestyle
- There’s a conservative dress code
- There are specific music and reading selections to use
- You must be open to having children
- You must promise to raise future children in the Catholic Faith
Learn more about Holy Matrimony here.
Why Marriage Is NOT a Contract (It’s a Covenant)
Can a Catholic Marry a Non-Catholic? (10:45)
Why Married Couples Must Be Open to Children