M A R R I A G E
The sacrament of marriage is a visible sign of God’s love for the Church. When a man and a woman are married in the Church, they receive the grace needed for a lifelong bond of unity.
Marriage is a Covenant
The Sacrament of Marriage is a covenantal union in the image of the covenants between God and his people with Abraham and later with Moses at Mt. Sinai. This divine covenant can never be broken. In this way, marriage is a union that bonds spouses together during their entire lifetime.
The sacrament of Matrimony signifies the union of Christ and the Church. It gives spouses the grace to love each other with the love with which Christ has loved his Church; the grace of the sacrament thus perfects the human love of the spouses, strengthens their indissoluble unity, and sanctifies them on the way to eternal life. (CCC 1661)
Congratulations on your Engagement!
It is an exciting time when you meet the one you love and look forward to the rest of your lives together. The Church earnestly desires to assist all engaged couples to be fully prepared for a lifetime of love and joy together.
Couples who would like to celebrate their wedding at St. Catherine of Alexandria Catholic Church should contact the parish office to register, to attend a mandatory marriage orientation. Wedding preparation is at a minimum six months to one year prior to the wedding. Wedding date and time should not be set before meeting with one of the priests and scheduling marriage preparation. Preparation programs are mandatory for couples before marriage in the Catholic Church. The marriage prep program is meant to help couples understand more about one another and about the beautiful vision of marital love that is the heart of Christian marriage.
For more information about scheduling a wedding at St. Catherine of Alexandria Catholic Church, please contact Mrs. Patricia Granados at (951) 781-9855 ext. 10.
We look forward to celebrating the Sacrament of Marriage with you.
The Sacrament of Marriage is a covenant, which is more than a contract. Covenant always expresses a relationship between persons. The marriage covenant refers to the relationship between the husband and wife, a permanent union of persons capable of knowing and loving each other and God. The celebration of marriage is also a liturgical act, appropriately held in a public liturgy at church. Catholics are urged to celebrate their marriage within the Eucharistic Liturgy.