For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. Eph 5:31-32

Congratulations on your engagement!

What is Marriage?

"Marriage is a lifelong partnership of the whole of life, of mutual and exclusive fidelity, established by mutual consent between a man and a woman, and ordered towards the good of the spouses and the procreation of offspring" - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Marriage Preparation: Overview

Marriage is a sacred sacrament that calls for thoughtful and prayerful preparation. At St. Michael Catholic Church, we are committed to helping engaged couples enter this vocation with a strong spiritual foundation. Our marriage preparation program is designed to deepen your understanding of the sacrament, assist you in discerning your readiness for married life, and provide meaningful insight into your relationship—both individually and as a couple.

Couples who are contemplating marriage at St. Michael Catholic Church are encouraged to contact the parish 9–12 months prior to their anticipated wedding date to begin the process of sacramental preparation. Marriage preparation follows diocesan policy. At least one party should be a practicing Catholic and a registered member of St. Michael Catholic Church parish.

Marriage Preparation: The Process

Step 1: Complete the required form below and return it to Deacon Tom Doran at tdoran@smccchurch.org.

Step 2: Deacon Tom will contact you to schedule an initial meeting. Meetings are typically held during weekday daytime hours and early Wednesday evenings.

Step 3: At the initial meeting, an overview of the marriage preparation process will be provided, and possible wedding dates will be discussed.

Step 4: The bride and groom will each complete the Fully Engaged survey individually online.

Step 5: A second meeting will be scheduled to review the survey results at a high level and to discuss marriage preparation requirements and next steps, including:

• Assignment of a mentor couple; the engaged couple will meet with the mentor couple in their home as part of the Fully Engaged program
• Information on attending a Pre-Cana course (in person or online, approximately 4 hours)
• Information on attending an introductory session on Natural Family Planning (NFP) (approximately 1 hour)
• Submission of baptismal certificates (issued within six months of the wedding date), including sacramental notations
• Completion of four Witness to Freedom to Marry forms (two for each party), signed and witnessed by a priest or deacon
• Copy of the Marriage License (issued by Texas counties) up to 90 days prior to the Wedding Date.

Step 6: Meeting with the pastor of St. Michael, Fr. Joseph Moreno.

Step 7: Final meeting with Deacon Tom, including completion and signing of the prenuptial questionnaire by both the bride and groom. This meeting must take place no later than four weeks prior to the wedding if it is within the Diocese of Fort Worth, or eight weeks prior if the wedding is outside the diocese.

Step 8: All documentation will be submitted to the Diocese of Fort Worth Tribunal for the issuance of theNihil Obstat (“nothing stands in the way”) required for the marriage to proceed.

Please note: These are the general requirements. Additional steps or documentation may be necessary depending on individual circumstances and will be discussed during the preparation process.

Planning Your Wedding Day

The Sacrament of Marriage between two Catholics ideally takes place during a Eucharistic Celebration; those being married are the ministers of Christ’s grace and mutually confer the Sacrament upon each other by expressing their consent in the presence of the Church’s minister and those in attendance. The Sacrament of Marriage between a Catholic and non-Catholic is normally celebrated at a Liturgy of the word.

We are excited to celebrate this Sacrament with you and hope you consider our sacred space for your upcoming wedding. 

For more information on planning this sacarment in our sacred space, contact our Wedding Coordinator, Click here!

Scheduling

Scheduling your wedding date is subject to the availability of the church and clergy of St. Michael and should not be set prior to beginning your marriage preparation. The wedding date is tentatively set when the couple begins marriage preparation and is subject to the Marriage Tribunal for the Diocese of Fort Worth approving the finalized wedding preparation packet.