St. Martha Catholic Church
Marriage Check Off List
______ 1. Are you registered at St. Martha Catholic Church? If you are an active member of St. Martha Church and have not registered, then you need to contact the Church Office or ask an Usher at Mass to give you a registration form.
Are you a registered member of another Catholic Church? If so, you must ask your pastor for a letter of permission to marry at St. Martha Church. You are also required to write a letter to our pastor stating why you want to marry at St. Martha Church.
_______2. The process should be started at least (6) months prior to wedding. Call the Parish Secretary to see if the date and time you want are available. You need to complete and fax to us a Preliminary Wedding Information Sheet. If the marriage preparation is being done at St. Martha Church, a cleric will be assigned to begin the marriage preparation process after the information sheet is received.
If the wedding preparations are being done at another church, couple MUST provide the name of the person giving the instructions at the church, name of the church, address and phone number on the Preliminary Sheet.
If either person has been married before, you will need to speak with a cleric before choosing a wedding date. They will determine what process needs to be followed (annulment, lack of form, or dispensation).
3. Wedding date has been scheduled for:
Wedding rehearsal has been scheduled for:
4. You will be given the following at your appointment:
a) Marriage Check Off List
c) Wedding Mass Liturgy (Only if you are having a Mass Wedding)
d) 4 Freedom to Marry forms (“B” Forms)
e) "Together for Life" book (marriage ceremony preparation book - at the back of the book you will find a tear-out
selection form for choosing readings, prayers, etc. to be used in your ceremony).
f) Marriage Preparation pamphlet
5. An appointment to take the Pre-Marital Inventory (PMI) will be scheduled by the cleric assigned to you.
When the evaluated forms has been received, an appointment to review the PMI will be scheduled.
6. An updated/current Baptismal certificate (within six months of wedding date) and a copy of the Confirmation certificate need to be acquired by you. Please have the certificates sent to the Parish Office. You can print out a Baptismal Certificate Request Form from our website (www.stmartha.org) and fax or mail it to your parish of baptism.
7. The couple MUST attend a Marriage Preparation Program (One-Day Marriage Program, Engaged Encounter Weekend, or Pre-Cana Conference). You will be given a certificate after you have completed the program.
8. Form “B” is to be completed and returned to the Church Office as soon as possible. (Each person is given 2 “B” Forms to give to 2 separate family members or friends. This form is for them to testify that the Bride or Groom is free to marry. The form MUST be signed in front of a priest or deacon and affixed with the parish seal.
9. You will be contacted by our Music Director, Virginia Bray, a few weeks before the wedding. You may contact by her via email (virginiabray@verizon.net) with any questions you may have.
10. Get your Marriage License at the Courthouse. You can get the Marriage License anywhere in the State of Florida. If you present your Marriage Preparation Program Certificate, you should get a discount.
11. You MUST have the "Together for Life" tear-out Sheet, Marriage License, and Wedding Fee to the Parish Secretary at least two weeks before your wedding date.
_______12. If your marriage preparations have been
done at another diocese, it is required that your entire marriage file be
sent to your diocesan Marriage Tribunal Office for approval. After your file has
been approved, it must be sent to the Diocese of Venice Tribunal Office,
1000 Pinebrook Road, Venice, FL 34285 for final approval. Please allow at least
one month for this process to be completed. Your complete and approved
marriage file must be received at least two weeks before your wedding date.