The entire church is excited when a man and a woman invite God into their lives to sanctify their loving commitment and choose to be married in the Catholic Church! We celebrate the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony as a special, sacred sign of the bond of love between a man and a woman. The couple administers this special Sacrament to each other and it is witnessed by the priest or deacon.
Arrangements should be made at least 6 months in advance and should be made prior to making plans for a reception. Call the Parish Center for an appointment with the priest or deacon you wish to witness your wedding. (631-488-8520 x 114).
Pre-Cana is a Marriage Preparation Program for all couples planning to be married in the Catholic Church. (It is named after the first public miracle that Jesus performed, when he turned water into wine at the Wedding Feast at Cana.)
When a couple participates in Pre-Cana, they are invited to deepen their exploration of what married life is like. Topics such as communications, faith, family, finances, friendships, fun, etc., are explored and discussed. Many participants appreciate the opportunity to further explore these things as they move closer to their wedding day.
There are different options for Pre-Cana available. Please discuss this with the clergyman when you meet with him. Most people choose the Diocesan Pre-Cana program these days.
Please call the Parish Center for an appointment with the priest or deacon you wish to witness your wedding, as well as to discuss Pre-Cana options.
For those who have already arranged a wedding date with St. Matthew's, and wish to take the Diocesan Pre-Cana session, they should register on the Diocesan Website.
There are two forms of the Catholic wedding Liturgy.
This has all the festive elements of a full wedding: music, readings, the vows, the Nuptial Blessing, etc. This is the most common form of the Catholic wedding and is often the most practical and manageable for most families. It is by no means a lesser or "second class" ceremony than the following.
This is a celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass with reception of Holy Communion with the wedding ceremony in the middle of the Liturgy. The meaning and inner truth of the Nuptial Mass leads to the following Parish policy: a Nuptial Mass will be only be celebrated if both Bride and Groom are practicing Catholics, or intend to become observably practicing Catholics PRIOR to the wedding; and who are NOT already cohabiting as if they were already husband and wife. If they are, they must separate their living arrangements PRIOR to the wedding.
Nuptial Masses are not celebrated on Sundays unless offered by a visiting priest upon the permission of the Parish Pastor. No one should feel obliged to request a Nuptial Mass who are not able to observe the above requirements. As they say, "No hard feelings."
A Wedding Ceremony is recommended in those circumstances with proper Pre-Cana preparation and guidance.