Marriage

Matrimony is one of the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church whereby a Christian man and woman join together the whole of their lives in Christ.

Marriage is a means of grace in the life of the couple and, as the “domestic church,” the family is the foundation of the Christian community.

Marriage between a Catholic and a non-Christian is non-sacramental, but it is a valid marriage that may be celebrated in a Catholic Church with proper dispensation.

Preliminary Information for Celebrating Matrimony at Blessed Sacrament

Couples seeking to be married in the Church must meet with a priest or deacon at least 6 months in advance of their intended wedding date.  This is the first step in preparing for your future as husband and wife, and should be done prior to any other reception or invitation arrangements.

Wedding donations
($1,500*)
($750 deposit to reserve your wedding date + $750 for non-parishioners) 

Reserve Your Wedding DateMake a Wedding Balance Payment

*Donations for registered parishioners may be reduced once six months of parish support is demonstrated; donations for non-parishioners may be reduced if marriage preparation is completed apart from Blessed Sacrament and a visiting priest is officiating.

These donations helps to defray the costs for use of the church and other facilities,
plus appreciable administrative and pastoral workload that goes along with the wedding
preparation.  Donations are tax-deductible.  Additional wedding costs will include
musician/cantor fees and flower arrangements, if desired.  These fees are not tax-
deductible.

Catholics celebrate the Sacrament of Marriage in their own parish church, unless the
pastor grants permission otherwise. Registered parishioners at Blessed Sacrament may
reserve a wedding date after meeting with a priest at Blessed Sacrament and with a
deposit of $750. The priest will determine freedom to marry and availability of clergy
before permitting scheduling. The pastor at Blessed Sacrament will determine the priest
or deacon to officiate at each wedding or must provide the proper delegation for a visiting
priest to officiate.

If you are not a registered, active parishioner at Blessed Sacrament, you will need to
obtain the permission of your proper pastor to be married at Blessed Sacrament. With that permission, you may contact Blessed Sacrament to determine the possibility of a wedding at Blessed Sacrament. If it is determined that you are free to marry and a Blessed Sacrament priest/deacon is available, you may then reserve a wedding date with a $750 deposit. If you are bringing a priest from outside Blessed Sacrament to officiate at your wedding, the pastor at Blessed Sacrament must grant delegation to him before the
wedding.

If you are not registered in any parish, are an active-duty member of the U.S. military or
have unusual pastoral circumstances, please contact Blessed Sacrament for assistance in
determining the availability of Blessed Sacrament for your wedding.

Celebrating Matrimony away from Blessed Sacrament (for registered parishioners)

If Blessed Sacrament is your parish, then you must obtain the permission of the pastor to
be married elsewhere. Please contact the parish to obtain this permission. If the wedding will be away from Blessed Sacrament, but you will require the marriage preparation at Blessed Sacrament, you will be asked for a contribution of $150 to Blessed Sacrament.

Additional costs will apply based on the Pre-Cana program you choose to participate in
and for weddings which will take place in foreign countries.

Marriage Preparation at Blessed Sacrament

Catholic marriage preparation consists of the following elements:

• One-on-one meeting with a priest or deacon (typically 2 or 3 meetings)

• Collecting pertinent documents (the priest will help with this)

• Pre-Cana workshop (marriage preparation classes)

The first step in the process of preparing for marriage is to make an appointment to meet with a priest at Blessed Sacrament. This is a pastoral meeting and there is no cost. The priest will use this occasion to get to know you a bit and offer encouragement. He will make a preliminary determination that you are free to marry and find out the circumstances of the couple/wedding. He will answer your questions about the preparation process and help you to make important decisions that will help you prepare well for your marriage. Please call the parish center to make an appointment at (202) 966-6575.

Pre-Cana ("Marriage Prep") Program

Every parish has their own Pre-Cana (marriage prep) program. We would be delighted to have you participate in the Pre-Cana program at Blessed Sacrament. Our participants have found that the Blessed Sacrament Marriage Prep course is extremely rewarding and we hope you and your fiancé(e) will be able to attend one of our sessions.  

• If you have not met with a priest and scheduled your wedding date at Blessed Sacrament, please contact a priest at the parish center at 202.966.6575 at least six months in advance of your desired wedding date.

•  If you are getting married outside of Blessed Sacrament but would still like to complete your Pre Cana requirements with us, we would be thrilled to have you join us.  Please see the information below.  We ask that each couple please fill in this short form so that we can enroll you into one of our programs.  Please click on the link to complete this form and send it to Elizabeth Angelo at [email protected].  

SNAPSHOT OF WHAT IS REQUIRED AND HOW OUR PROGRAM WORKS:

There are two parts to our Pre Cana program.

1)  The first part is attending 3 sessions in the homes of married couples who lead our courses.  These take place in the evenings, generally on a weeknight, in the homes of two "presenting couples" (these are the couples who guide your program, offer personal examples and experiences, and facilitate discussion).  The setting is casual.  The sessions generally run from 7pm-9pm.

One of the priests from Blessed Sacrament will join you for the first and last sessions.   The subject matter for the sessions is interrelated, which is why your attendance is required at each meeting.  

2)  The second part is attending the Natural Family Planning Lecture, which is held around three times yearly (winter/summer/fall).  This lecture is also referred to as the Humanae Vitae lecture.  

Our programs do fill quickly, and as soon as we have dates available for each session, we will be in touch so that you will have enough time to commit, as all of them are required.  Rest assured, we will make sure you are able to complete your Pre Cana requirements in plenty of time prior to your wedding date.

You and your fiancé(e) will be assigned some minimal homework for each session.  While it will not be collected, it will be a valuable catalyst for conversations between you two.  We will have a copy of the book “A Marriage in the Lord” for you at the first session.  You will be using this book for the course at the sessions and at home.

Subject Matter for Each Session:

* Session I: We explore the impact and importance of our family of origin on our lives and our relationships and discuss and explore one of the essential elements of marriage - "communication."

* Session II: We discuss and explore the relationship between communication, as well as many of the issues and values that can cause conflict in marriage.

* Session III: We focus on marriage as a sacrament – why it is set apart as a means of grace and a sign of God’s love.  

The Natural Family Planning Lecture is held a few times per year.  This lecture covers the Catholic Church's teachings on Human Sexuality, the Theology of the Body, Responsible Parenting, and Natural Family Planning.  We send out a notification about the upcoming date several weeks in advance to all registered participants.  The lecture lasts approximately 90 minutes and is held in the Parish Center at Blessed Sacrament. The Pre Cana Coordinator will help you schedule the lecture.

The program fee is $75. Any questions can be directed to Anthony and Eli Angelo: [email protected]

Pre-Cana Class Registration