THE SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE

In this year of Jubilee 2000, the Bishop wrote a pastoral letter on the Sacrament of Marriage. Each couple who comes to prepare for Marriage at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish at St. James Church will be given a copy of this letter. The Bishop stresses the need for more preparation for the couple who is preparing to receive this Sacrament.

He has mandated that each couple take an inventory called "FOCUS" (Facilitating Open Couple Communication, Understanding & Study). The couple takes this inventory separately. It is then processed. At a second meeting the couple sees the results of their work. They compare their responses. They see the strengths and weaknesses of their relationship and are able to discuss them.

Deacon Larry St. Onge has generously accepted the responsibility to lead the couples in this process. He will call each couple who plans to marry at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish at St. James Church during each year. He will then meet with each couple two times. The first meeting, which takes approximately 45 - 60 minutes, is for the couple to complete this "Focus" instrument. The second meeting, which ranges from 1 1/2 hours to 3 hours, is to discuss the results of the inventory.

After the couple has adequately discussed the results of the inventory with Deacon Larry, they will then be prepared to go through the two sessions of marriage preparation. The first session includes talks given by couples on certain aspects of married life. A priest gives a talk on the sacramental nature of marriage. The second session will present thoughts on natural family planning.

Once the two sessions are completed, the couple will then meet with Fr. Wilson to fill out the papers and set a date for the wedding rehearsal.

The time of preparation for marriage has been extended by the Bishop to one year so that enough time will be given to all of these aspects of preparation for the Sacrament of Marriage.

It is so essential that a couple be practicing their Catholic Faith during this time of preparation. A couple should be coming to Mass each Sunday. They should be spending time in prayer together. They should be spending time sharing with each other about what this Sacrament means.

All of the required steps that the Church imposes can only have a positive effect if the couple is open to what is being done. Otherwise it only becomes another empty exercise. It is hoped that this preparation will equip the couple to continue their life of sharing after the Marriage celebration.

This year of Jubilee looks back to the great gift of Marriage that God gave to us. It looks forward to a renewed appreciation of this Sacrament.