Sacrament of Marriage

St. Paul, in the letter to the Ephesians, says of Marriage: “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and give himself up for her, that he might sanctify her.” And again, “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one.  This is the great mystery, and I mean in reference to Christ and the Church.”
~ Ephesians 5:25-26, 31-32

St. Charles parish family welcomes you and congratulates you as you come to request marriage in the Catholic Church.  The celebration you are planning and the lifelong commitment you are choosing to make are a sign of God’s great love for us all. The following information is intended to assist in your planning process.

Marriage Preparation:  Please call the parish office at (409) 722-3413 and ask to be put into contact with our parish clergy.  This is step 1.

A date for your wedding may not be set until the following has occurred:

• You have taken care of step one!

• The bride and groom have met at least once with a priest or deacon and freedom to marry has been determined by the priest or deacon. The priest or deacon sets the date on his calendar, the church calendar, and confirms the date with you.

Documents Needed

• If you are Catholic, a newly issued baptism certificate is required, (not your original baptism certificate).  Contact the church where you were baptized and ask them to send you a newly issued certificate for marriage purposes.

• If you are not a member of the Catholic Church and are baptized in another faith, proof of the baptism will be requested. It can be an original certificate or a letter from your parents.

• If you are not registered and do not live within the parish boundaries, you are advised to contact your local Catholic parish. If they are unable to assist you, please ask the pastor or his representative to contact us.

• A civil marriage license from the court house (this cannot be obtained more than 30 days or less than 72 hours prior to the wedding).  The marriage license should be given to the priest or deacon at the wedding rehearsal.