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Marriage Preparation
Guidelines
The Preliminary Interrogatory: commonly called "Form 1" or "the
Green Sheet" is a document that you will complete in the company of
the priest, deacon or Pastoral Associate. Essentially, the
Preliminary Interrogatory is an affidavit that states a great deal
of information about you, especially your sacramental life, and
ascertains your freedom to marry.
Marriage Preparation: The priest, deacon,
or Pastoral Associate will discuss with you your required
participation in a Marriage Preparation Program offered in-house.
St. Clare's offers a Marriage Enrichment Program each January.
Click the cross below to request a Wedding
Ceremony
Sacramental Documentation:
 Baptismal
Certificate: Any Baptized Christian choosing to be married in the
Catholic Church, must present a Baptismal Certificate, verifying the
fact of Baptism
(NOTE: This applies to individuals who are not of the
Catholic faith as well as for Catholics.)
Confirmation
Certificate: For -Catholics, certification of Confirmation must also be
obtained.
Your Spirituality and Your Faith: In
the course of the conversation with the priest, deacon, or Pastoral
Associate the matter of the Nuptial Liturgy itself usually becomes a
topic. Although somewhat premature as a topic of discussion, there are
several considerations to be observed concerning the Nuptial Liturgy.
There are essentially two formats for the Nuptial Liturgy:
The Nuptial
Ceremony or The Nuptial Mass:
The Nuptial
Ceremony:
The
Nuptial Mass:
The Introductory
Rites The
Introductory Rites
The Liturgy of the
Word The
Liturgy of the Word
The Rite of
Marriage The
Rite of Marriage
The Concluding
Rites
The
Liturgy of the Eucharist
The
Concluding Rites
Non-Catholic and Catholic: Weddings between a Catholic and a
person of another faith may be celebrated either at St. Clare Church or
in the house of worship of the other party with both the Catholic clergy
and non-Catholic clergy present.
Catholic marrying another Christian in the Catholic Church requires the
Permission of the Bishop.
Catholic marrying another Christian with the non-Catholic clergy
officiating (in the other party's church) requires the Permission of the
Bishop and a Dispensation from Church Law.
Catholic marrying a Non-Baptized person in the Catholic Church requires
Dispensation from Church Law.
Catholic marrying a non-Baptized person in another setting requires
dispensation from Church Law.
"Dispensation" is a precise relaxation from a particular Church Law.
Acquiring Dispensations and Permissions are the responsibility of the
priest, Deacon, or Pastoral Associate who will process all the necessary
paperwork.
Parish Wedding Coordinator: Sheila Hartery, Tel. No.
781-261-9727, she will coordinate your wedding rehearsal.
Rehearsal: Please be certain that
you are prompt, and that you present the following to the Wedding
Coordinator:
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Marriage License |
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"Together for Life" Selection Sheet |
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Church
Offering |
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Coordinator Stipend |
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Altar
Server Offering |
Day of Your Wedding: please be certain that you are prompt.
Please honor your verbal commitment to start the wedding liturgy at the
designated time.
Church Music: It is your
responsibility to contact our Director of Music, Ms. Kathy Clancy,
Tel. No. 781-849-9219. Ms. Clancy will assist you with singers and
instrumentalists if you so desire.
Please contact Ms. Clancy at least three months before your wedding to
arrange your church music.
Offerings: The Church offering for a
wedding is $350.00. The Wedding Coordinator offering is $100.00, payable
to Sheila Hartery. It is customary to give an offering to the Altar
Servers. Suggested offering is $20.00 for each server.
Final meeting: At least one month
before your wedding, please contact the Priest officiating at your
wedding to arrange final details. We usually fill out these papers for
the visiting Priest; as well these papers remain on file at St. Clare's
Parish House Tel. 781-848-7480
Sacramental Participation: In
preparing for marriage, it is most important that each couple engage
themselves to God by active living of the faith. This should be
accomplished by attending Eucharist each weekend and making use of the
availability of the Sacrament of Reconciliation as needed.
Additional Information:
Marriage License: You must both apply in person for the Marriage
License. This requirement is applicable to both residents and
non-residents of the Commonwealth. According to Massachusetts Law, you
must jointly file intentions to marry, and you may do so with the City
or Town Clerk in any community in the State.
Please apply for your license no later than one month before your
wedding date. After the wedding the license is completed by the
officiating Priest and returned to the Town or City Hall from which it
was obtained.
Visiting Priests: Ordinarily, a Priest of
this Parish will officiate at the wedding. However, Priests who are
relatives or friends are the personal choice of the wedding party and
most welcome to officiate. Please let us know if a visiting priest is
coming for your wedding.
Altar Servers: Two Altar Servers are
automatically assigned to your wedding. Any relatives, friends or Altar
Servers of your choice are welcome to serve. Please notify the Priest of
your desire.
Flowers: Flowers for the church are
the responsibility of the bride and groom. Arrangements are available by
the florist of the church upon your request and desire. It is customary
that wedding flowers remain in the Church so as to adorn the sanctuary
for all liturgical celebrations during the weekend.
Church Appearance: We try our best
to have the church property, outside and inside, always looking its best
for your wedding. We, in turn, ask for your considerate cooperation.
Please inform your ushers to request guests to refrain from the use of
rice, confetti, or rose petals. The use of such materials could cause
someone to seriously fall.
Church Aisle: In consideration of
safety and liability aisle runners are prohibited.
Photographers & Videographers:
Photographers and Videographers are to introduce themselves to the
priest or deacon NO LATER THAN 15 MINUTES before the scheduled start
time of the wedding. The priest or deacon will advise the Photographer
and/or videographer of acceptable location/placement so as not to be
obtrusive or to detract from the Sacred Nature of the environment.
Photographers and/or videographers are not allowed in the sanctuary of
the church.
Involvement of Children: It has been
our experience that children under the age of 5 who serve as ring
bearers or flower girls are easily distracted and intimidated by large
gatherings of people. For this reason, children under 5 are discouraged
from having a role in the Nuptial Liturgy.
For more information on
Marriage preparation, please click below to visit
the Archdiocese of
Boston's webpage:
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