Marriage
The Sacrament of Matrimony, or marriage, is a unique sacrament because it is the man and the woman that mutually administers the sacrament upon each other in the presence of a priest or deacon and other witnesses.
It is a sacred covenant, a public promise made by the husband and the wife to be true to each other until death parts them. In order for a marriage to be valid, the couple must be entering into the covenant out of their own free will, without fear or coercion. They are also asked to honour and be true to each other for the rest of their lives, as well as to accept children lovingly from God and bring them up according to the law of Christ and His Church.
Couples wishing to marry within St. Mary’s Parish must contact the parish office to arrange for a personal appointment and interview with a priest. Wedding bookings can only be made after this personal interview and must be made at least six months in advance.
All engaged couples asking for marriage in the Catholic Church must be adequately prepared and part of this formative work involves the mandatory enrolment in the Marriage Preparation Course provided by the Archdiocese of Vancouver. Please call the parish office for more information.