Marriage Preparation

The Church should be contacted, if possible, at least one year before setting the date.

All love comes from God, and all love reflects the love that God has for His creation. The Sacrament of Marriage is, first and foremost, a sign and symbol of this love. Marriage is a sacrament of the self-giving love which two people offer to each other. The love which a couple have for each other mirrors the love God has for men and women.

The minister of the Sacrament of Marriage is the couple themselves. The priest serves as a witness.

The joy and mutual support of married love can be a source of strength which enables married people to serve others in a very powerful way. It should spill out to their children and to those around them and become a source of life, hope and comfort for others. This is reflected in the blessing which the priest often gives the newly-married couples, saying:

"May you always bear witness to the love of God in this world, so that the afflicted and the needy will find in you generous friends and welcome you into the joys of Heaven."

Readings

Old Testament

There are 9 options from the Old Testament for the first reading at a Nuptial Mass.  The readings can be found in their entirety on this page, along with some commentary to offer context and highlight some of the prominent themes in each passage. We encourage you to spend time in prayer with your fiancé/e to choose the reading which best speaks to your hopes and dreams for your Christian marriage.

  1. Male and female he created them (Genesis 1:26-28, 31a)

  2. The two of them become one body (Genesis 2:18-24)

  3. In his love for Rebekah, Isaac found solace after the death of his mother (Genesis 24:48-51, 58-67)

  4. May the Lord of heaven prosper you both. May he grant you mercy and peace (Tobit 7:6-14)

  5. Allow us to live together to a happy old age (Tobit 8:4b-8)

  6. The woman who fears the Lord is to be praised (Proverbs 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31)

  7. Stern as death is love (Song of Songs 2:8-10, 14, 16a; 8:6-7a)

  8. Like the sun rising in the Lord’s heavens, the beauty of a virtuous wife is the radiance of her home (Sirach 26:1-4, 13-16)

  9. I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah (Jeremiah 31:31-32a, 33-34a)

Responsorial Psalm

There are 7 options for the Responsorial Psalm at a Nuptial Mass. We encourage you to spend time in prayer with your fiancé/e to choose the psalm which best speaks to your hopes and dreams for your Christian marriage.

  1. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord (Psalm 33)

  2. I will bless the Lord at all times (Psalm 34 version 1 | Psalm 34 version 2)

  3. The Lord is kind and merciful (Psalm 103 version 1 | Psalm 103 version 2)

  4. Blessed the man who greatly delights in the Lord’s commands (Psalm 112)

  5. Blessed are those who fear the Lord (Psalm 128 version 1 | Psalm 128 version 2)

  6. How good is the Lord to all (Psalm 145)

  7. Let all praise the name of the Lord (Psalm 148)

New Testament

There are 14 options from the New Testament for the second reading at a Nuptial Mass. The readings can be found in their entirety on this page, along with some commentary to offer context and highlight some of the prominent themes in each passage. We encourage you to spend time in prayer with your fiancé/e to choose the reading which best speaks to your hopes and dreams for your Christian marriage.

  1. What will separate us from the love of Christ? (Romans 8:31b-35, 37-39)

  2. Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God (Long Form: Romans 12:1-2, 9-18 | Short Form: Romans 12: 1-2, 9-13)

  3. Welcome one another as Christ welcomed you (Romans 15:1b-3a, 5-7, 13)

  4. Your body is a temple of the Spirit (Corinthians 6:13c-15a, 17-20)

  5. If I do not have love, I gain nothing (Corinthians 12:31-13:8a)

  6. One Body and one Spirit (Ephesians 4:1-6)

  7. This is a great mystery, but I speak in reference to Christ and the Church (Long Form: Ephesians 5:2a, 21-33 | Short Form: Ephesians 5:2a, 25-32)

  8. The God of peace will be with you (Philippians 4:4-9)

  9. And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection (Colossians 3:12-17)

  10. Let marriage be held in honor by all (Hebrews 13:1-4a, 5-6b)

  11. Be of one mind, sympathetic, loving toward one another (1 Peter 3:1-9)

  12. Love in deed and in truth (1 John 3:18-24)

  13. God is love (1 John 4:7-12)

  14. Blessed are those who have been called to the wedding feast of the Lamb (Revelation 19:1, 5-9a)