Sacrament of Matrimony

"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." CCC 1601

Updated June 2021. Weddings are happening with a few changes to keep us safe and in compliance with the State of Oregon guidelines. Please contact our Wedding Coordinator.

Steps for Marriage preparation at St Francis of Assisi

1. Contact Wedding Coordinator no less than 6 months before preferred date of wedding: weddings@stfrancisbend.org
2. Schedule to meet with a priest. Call the parish office to schedule appointment.
3. After you have contacted the wedding coordinator and the couple has met with the priest, contact the parish office to schedule the date of wedding. PLEASE do not set date of wedding before meeting with Wedding Coordinator and Priest. 
4. Complete the following: The order of these will vary depending on each individual couple’s situation.
   1. Complete all required forms for St. Francis, Diocese of Baker, home diocese and home parish. At your first meeting, the priest will let you know what required forms are necessary for you.
   2. Obtain a Baptismal Certificate for Bride and Groom. The certificate has to be issued from the parish of baptism within the last 6 months.  Request certificates from your church of baptism. Some parishes have an online order form, others take the request over the phone. Parishes can mail directly to St Francis.
   3. Two witnesses each for the bride and groom will schedule to meet with the priest to give witness.
   4. Complete Sacrament of Marriage Preparation Email precana@stfrancisbend.org for the schedule.  Attend a Marriage Preparation Workshop Retreat,  Participate in FOCCUS, a couple to couple marriage preparation time.  Complete a Natural Family Planning Course, NFP
5. ​2nd meeting with the Priest. As soon as your paperwork is all in and ideally no later than 4 months before the wedding date, call the parish office to schedule appointment.
6. Final meeting with the Priest 2-3 weeks before the Wedding. Call the parish office to schedule appointment. Bring your filled out marriage lisence to this meeting.

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Convalidation is for couples who are married outside the Catholic church. Steps for Convalidation preparation at St Francis of Assisi are the same as the steps for Marriage Preparation.