Marriage

“The matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life, is by its nature ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring; this covenant between baptized persons has been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a sacrament” (Gaudium et Spes 48:1).

This union of man and woman is seen not only as a celebration of love, but also as a vocation and in the eyes of the Church also as a sacrament of service, in somewhat the same manner as the sacrament of ordination. No longer seen as a social contract, the union is seen as a special sign of God’s presence in humanity in the creative expression of the love in the union of the couple, in times of happiness and difficulty. In this communal love, Christ’s boundless love becomes manifest in the Christian community and in society at large. This boundless love is symbolized by the lifetime commitment of the couple and their openness to creating children.

The answer to this question is governed, in part, by the Code of Canon Law of the Roman Catholic Church. Generally speaking, members of our parish may  celebrate their wedding at the Cathedral of St. Joseph. Roman Catholics who live within the bounds of the parish but have no formal relationship with the parish community may speak to one of our clergy about establishing a relationship with the parish if thinking of celebrating a wedding in the future. Former members of the parish need to speak both to their present pastor and to the Rector of the Cathedral of St. Joseph if they wish to celebrate their marriage at the Cathedral. Other persons need to discuss their specific circumstances with our Rector.

The first step in scheduling your wedding at the Cathedral is to call the parish office at 304-233-4121 and set up a meeting with the Rector to discuss marriage preparation and the possibility of scheduling your wedding ceremony at the Cathedral.

Only the Rector of the Cathedral of St. Joseph may book the date for the celebration of a wedding. Dates will be booked only after there has been a sufficient opportunity to meet with the couple, to take care of the necessary paperwork and to arrange for their participation in a marriage preparation program. It is the responsibility of the engaged couple to secure the date with the Cathedral before making commitments with caterers, reception halls, etc.

Couples are expected to contact a member of the parish staff at least six (6) months in advance of the date on which they hope to celebrate their wedding. The purpose of this period is to actively involve the couple in the process through which they can judge not only their own readiness to marry, but also their ability to communicate on vital issues.

At the Cathedral, preparation for marriage consists of these principal components over a six- (6-) month period:

  1. completion of the pre-nuptial questionnaire;
  2. a pre-marital inventory survey;
  3. discussion sessions with one of the parish priests or deacons; and 4) attendance at a recognized Catholic engaged encounter session. These are arranged with the assistance of the parish staff and clergy.

Sacrament preparation also is available to those parishioners who may be arranging to have their wedding celebrated in another parish church, such as one in their hometown.

For more information:
Call the parish office at 304-233-4121 to make arrangements with the clergy, and for details about scheduling, documentation, and other logistical matters.

Please see the Wedding Planning Guide below for helpful information about planning your wedding at the Cathedral.

Marriage in the Catholic Church
Wedding Planning Guide
Marriage Retreats
Enrich Your Marriage