Matrimony

Marriage is a sacrament

both an occasion of joyful promise and symbolic solemnity.

It is a spiritual event.

The loving bond of marriage symbolizes the mystical union between Christ and his Church.

The man and woman profess lifelong vows of fidelity, and they receive supernatural grace from God to keep their promises. Receiving the sacrament of Marriage in a church has broader symbolic meaning for the couple as well. Marriage isn’t simply two people in isolation from the world around them.

Marriage is the joining of families and the beginning of a new, holy mission in the life of the couple.

Weddings are sacred occasions, and it’s fitting that they occur in sacred spaces.

For Catholics, the Sacrament of Marriage is

"The matrimonial covenant, by which a man and woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life, is by its nature ordered to 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."

  • Witness to Love Program

    “Your wedding day is one day, but your marriage lasts a lifetime.”


    Witness to Love (WTL) is a virtues-based model of marriage renewal and preparation that integrates modern principles of psychology and the virtues to help couples facilitate and talk about their relationship. All built on the rock of True Love, “God”.


    What makes WTL unique is that the engaged couple chooses their own mentor couple. 

    This is a couple they both admire and see as a source of faith formation. This mentor couple gives them a connection and integration into the parish. Through the sharing of the mentor couple’s own marriage journey, the engaged couple inherits a “lifeline” of support in their commitment to Jesus and His Church.


    The Sacrament of Marriage Preparation Steps:

    1. Contact the Parish Office Manager.
    2. Complete Parish and Diocese Required paperwork.
    3. Engaged couple meets with Clergy (Priest/Deacon) and completes Premarital Inventory Questionnaire (or Prepare-Enrich or FOCCUS). Schedule a second meeting to review results of the pre-marital questionnaire.
    4. Engaged couple choses a mentor couple to work with for the WTL program.
    5. Engaged couple attends a coaching session with the WTL Parish Marriage Prep Coordinator and Mentor Couple.
    6. Engaged couple and mentor couple have monthly meetings using WTL Workbooks and Videos. (Completing all six WTL Chapters)
    7. Engaged couple attends a Parish or Diocesan Couples Retreat (Mentor Couples invited to attend).
    8. At WTL Chapter 5 dinner and meeting at the Mentor Couple’s home, the Deacon is invited to provide the Theology discussion.
    9. Natural Family Planning (NFP) on-line course is recommended.
    10. Both Couples welcomed to the Parish and invited to small groups/Parish ministry opportunities.
    11. Wedding Day!
    12. Continued accompanimaent by Mentor Couple and Parish Community with newly married couple.

    Theology meeting with Priest/Deacon

    1. Engaged Couple and Mentor Couple will meet with Priest/Deacon to discuss the Theology behind the Sacrament of Matrimony.                                       
    2. Purpose of this meeting is two-fold:  
      1) deepen the understanding of the Church’s theology of marriage for the engaged couple and 2) reawaken an appreciation for the Church’s understanding of marriage for the mentor couple.

    Follow-Up Meetings

    1.  After the wedding, the now newly married couple and their mentor couple are urged to continue meeting at least once every two months at Sunday mass to continue their discussions of marriage and marital spirituality.
    2. The engaged couple is encouraged to turn to their mentor couple whenever the need arises to address any struggles or disagreements they may have.
    3. The relationship between the couples can continue indefinitely.

    How Do I Obtain Materials?

    Check with the Parish office to see if WTL materials are in stock. If they do not have materials on hand simply click on this link: “Couple’s Marriage Prep Bundle” and order a set of materials. Make sure to order them well before you schedule your first meeting with your Marriage Prep Coordinator to ensure that the materials arrive in time.


    More information about the WTL program:


    Please contact the St.Patrick’s Office Fr. Paul at 941-378-1703 x300 or send an email to info@churchofstpatrick.org

    WTL MATERIAL

  • Photos

    Special thanks to Namesake Creative for their time, talents and video.