Matrimony

Lord, help me to remember when we first met

and the strong love that grew between us, to work

that love into practical things so nothing can divide us.

We ask for words both kind and loving and hearts always ready

to ask forgiveness as well as forgive.

Dear Lord, we put our marriage into your hands.

“The intimate community of life and love which constitutes the married state has been established by the Creator and endowed by him with its own proper laws. . . . God himself is the author of marriage.” The vocation to marriage is written in the very nature of man and woman as they came from the hand of the Creator. Marriage is not a purely human institution despite the many variations it may have undergone through the centuries in different cultures, social structures, and spiritual attitudes. These differences should not cause us to forget its common and permanent characteristics. Although the dignity of this institution is not transparent everywhere with the same clarity, some sense of the greatness of the matrimonial union exists in all cultures. “The well-being of the individual person and of both human and Christian society is closely bound up with the healthy state of conjugal and family life.” Catechism of the Catholic Church 1603

As Catholics we believe marriage comes as a gift from the hand of God. The Catholic vision of marriage is rooted in Sacred Scripture and is expressed in the teachings and practices of the Church. It has these main elements:

• Marriage unites a couple in faithful and mutual love.
• Marriage opens a couple to giving life.
• Marriage is a way to respond to God’s call to holiness.
• Marriage calls the couple to be a sign of Christ’s love in the world.

If you are planning your wedding we hope the resources we offer may be of help to you.

The following are a list of requirements.

Civil Requirements:
All couples intending to marry in the Republic of Ireland must give notification in person to a Registrar’s office in the Republic of Ireland at least 3 months before their proposed wedding date. In this notification you must name the priest or deacon whom they are inviting to act as solemniser, the name and address of the Church in which your marriage will take place and the date of your marriage.

Notification can be given to the Registrar’s Office in any county. If there is no impediment to marriage, you will be issued you with a Marriage Registration Form (MRF) which gives the couple the permission to marry in the Republic of Ireland.

The Registration office in Dundalk is at:
Civil Registration Service,
Civil Registration Office.
Civil Registration Office
Community Services
Dublin Road
Dundalk
Co. Louth

The following documents are required by your Church:

Baptism Certificate (from the parish of your Baptism)
Confirmation Cert (from the parish of Confirmation)
Pre-nuptial Enquiry (normally 2 months before the wedding, your Priest will complete this form with both of you.
Letter of Freedom (from your Parish Priest – and from each and every parish you have in for six months or more since you reached the age of marriage.
Pre-Marriage Course Certificate from an approved course.

If you are getting married in the parish in which you were Baptised and Confirmed, your Parish Priest will have a record of your Baptism and Confirmation and these documents.

A very useful app. that will help you with any further questions is Irish Wedding Planner (free for iphones)

However your priest will be delighted to answer any questions you might have.

We have included a sample booklet  of a wedding service to help you in planning your wedding liturgy. We also included extra readings and prayers that might be helpful.

Wedding Ceremony

Wedding Readings Prayers