3450 West Ray Road
Chandler, AZ 85226
(480) 899-1990

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Marriage Preparation Process

Congratulations on your engagement. We look forward to celebrating your marriage with you.

The process involves several steps, some of which have costs associated with them.

Marriage Preparation Process for 2010

Congratulations on your engagement! The Church rejoices that you have decided to give yourselves to each other in a loving, life-long commitment and to enrich the Church and the world through your marriage

1. Interview with the Pastor - No Fee
   1. We will collection basic information that is needed.
   2. We will go over the Preparation Process that is required by the Diocese of Phoenix.
   3. If time, complete the FOCCUS Inventory.
   4. We will discuss setting a date.
2. Complete the FOCCUS Inventory - No Fee
3. Review the FOCCUS results
   Lynn Ekstrom at the parish will contact you to set an appointment. There is a fee of $50 per review session, and most times there will be two sessions.
4. Complete the "Agreement for Weddings" - Fee of $300 to schedule the Church
5. Gather documents:
   1. For all Catholics: Baptism Certificate issued within 9 months of the wedding date. Request the Church of Baptism to forward a baptism certificate "with notations". We can help locate churches of Baptism if you do not know how to contact them.
   2. If possible, Catholics are also requested to submit photocopies copies of their 1st Communion and Confirmation certificates.
   3. For non-Catholics: If the non-Catholic is a baptized Christian, we will need a certificate or letter from the Church of Baptism verifying the date. If this is not possible, we will use another means to verify baptismal status. If the non-Catholic is not a baptized Christian, no documents are required.
6. Marriage Preparation Courses - Charges vary by course.
   Couples should choose one from the following 3 options:
   • LOVE FOR LIVE WEEKEND - a Diocesan engaged weekend (a Friday night and all day Saturday) ($135 per couple)
   • Franciscan Renewal Center (in Scottsdale) on Saturdays, 8:30am-5:30pm ($110 per couple)
   • Marriage Seminar - offered at Church of the Resurrection in Tempe on Saturdays 8:30am - 5:00pm. ($100 per couple)
7. Marriage Theology Course
   A course based in the Theology of the Body as it applies to understanding marital sexuality.
8. Natural Family Planning - $100 per couple
   The Diocese requires that a couple attend a methodology class in a Church-approved means of natural family planning.
9. Wedding Planning - No Fee
   Once you have your documents together, and have completed the marriage preparation course, the theology course, and Natural Family Planning, call the parish to schedule a planning meeting with the Pastor. You will be given a planning book that contains choices for prayers, vows, and readings. Music for the wedding will be planned separately with our Music and Liturgy staff. You may also be given "Affidavits of Free Status" which are to be completed and signed in the presence of a priest or Church employee by people who have known you for all or most of your life (i.e., parents, siblings, aunts or uncles).
10. Wedding Planning Part Two (Music) - $50 charge if not using parish musicians
    After meeting with the pastor and beginning to plan other areas of your wedding, call our parish to schedule a meeting with one of our Music and Liturgy persons. They will help choose appropriate wedding music and assist in the hiring of musicians for your wedding. You may choose to bring in musicians of your own rather than use our musicians, but your music plan needs to be approved.
11. Wedding Planning Part Three (Wedding Coordinator) - $100 per couple
    1. Schedule an appointment with your wedding coordinator to review your planning.
    2. The Wedding Coordinator will conduct the rehearsal.
    3. The Wedding Coordinator will open the Church for you one hour before your wedding, and be present before, during and after the wedding to make sure everything goes smoothly.
12. The Wedding!!!!!

(There are on-line options available for the courses if that works better in a couple's circumstances.)

Why 11 preparatory steps?

• The preparation policy is set by the Diocese of Phoenix.
• The emphasis is on facilitating the deepening of the relationship of the couple so that our people enter into marriage with a strong, loving, wise foundation.
• We also emphasize the couple's relationship to God and we hope to deepen their appreciation of God's role in a successful and enduring marriage.