SAINT AGATHA  - SAINT JAMES CHURCH

3728 Chestnut Street    Philadelphia, PA. 19104

Phone: 215-386-9732,   Fax: 215-386-5899,    E-Mail: info@Saintsaj.org

Website: www.SaintsAJ.org

Introduction and Background Information

Getting married in the Catholic Church or in some other venue when one of the parties is not Catholic, with permission from the Catholic Church, always involves TWO phases.   Phase I: The preparation phase and 2] Phase II: The rehearsal and wedding itself. Sometimes a couple chooses to hold their wedding celebration in a church or site other than St. Agatha-St. James Church, whether it is another Catholic Church, a Protestant Church, a non-Christian Synagogue/Temple or civil venue. If the parish where the wedding takes place is not able or interested in taking responsibility for the preparation and paper work that must be completed prior to the wedding, or if you are having your wedding at a non-Catholic site, then a priest from St. Agatha-St. James will work with you on phase I and make sure that the necessary preparatory work is properly completed.

There are necessary aspects of the preparation phase that all couples getting married must complete regardless of where the actual wedding is taking place. These are outlined below to assist your planning.  Depending upon your situation and circumstances, there may be additional aspects of preparation: for example, if the wedding is outside the United States; if the wedding is in another diocese; if one party is not Catholic; if one or both parties has been married before. These are all situations that will require additional time and attention.

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia requires a six-month preparation period from the time of the wedding date, as most dioceses do. The presumption is that since you have made arrangements for Phase II with the Priest who is actually celebrating your wedding, you are now making contact with St. Agatha-St. James in sufficient time before your scheduled wedding date, so that Phase I, which you are asking be done here, may proceed properly.  We are not able to engage in marriage preparation with you in an “emergency” that you have created because you have failed to contact us with enough time to allow adequate preparation.

Financial Responsibilities to St. Agatha-St. James Parish & Personnel

Please call the Parish Office at 215-386-9732 for stipend information. We look forward to beginning the necessary preparation for your wedding.

Preparation Materials and Responsibilities

1.         Pre Marital Instructions:

            Marriage Preparation Conferences [a.k.a. “Pre-Cana” Conferences] are offered several times during the year by the Family Life Office of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. The priest will give you specific information about the dates, places and times of these conferences.  You must pre-register in order to attend these conferences.  These conferences are a major part of your preparation for marriage and are, therefore, absolutely required.  For information about Pre-Cana at Saint Agatha - Saint James, please call the Parish Office at 215-386-9732.

            The Archdiocese of Philadelphia also provides an excellent alternative to their regular program called a prenuptial weekend.  This is a more intense and certainly more beneficial experience for those who desire this.  If this option is of interest to you, please call the Family Life Office of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and ask for details [610-660-9002] 

            Of course, you may also arrange to attend pre-marital instructions with the priest in the diocese where the Wedding is taking place.

            The sooner you attend these conferences the better.  If you wait too long, you may not be able to find a Premarital Conference Program before your wedding date. These conferences are a mandatory part of the preparation for your marriage.

N.B.   At the completion of these conferences you will be issued a statement or certificate indicating that you have successfully completed the Pre-Cana instructions. Retain this certificate because you will need to present it to the priest at SS A.J. to be included in your preparation material.

2.         Premarital Questionnaire:

            The premarital questionnaire is basically a data intake form which also verifies that there are no impediments to your marriage, and that the two of you intend to enter a faithful, permanent, and procreative marital union.  This document is prepared at the first meeting with the priest.

3.         Necessary Documents:

            a.         Baptismal Certificates

                        Catholic parties - need a recent copy of your Baptismal Certificates. 

Copies must be recent; i.e. dated and issued within the last six months.  You obtain this from the parish where you were baptized.    

            A non-Catholic - if baptized, will need a copy of his/her Baptismal Certificate, if possible.  If unable to obtain a baptismal certificate, it will not be a problem.  If the non-Catholic party has never been baptized, no documentation is required.

[You may acquire baptismal certificates before your first meeting with the priest.  If you have them in hand, bring them with you to the first meeting.

            If this is an Inter-faith Marriage:

a] Dispensation from Mixed Religion: The Catholic party will need to sign a form requesting a dispensation from mixed religion, informing the bishop that this marriage is with a Non-Catholic.  To obtain this dispensation, the Catholic party is required to make a promise regarding the religious upbringing of any children.

b] Dispensation from Canonical Form. If the marriage ceremony is to be celebrated in a place other than in a Catholic Church, the Catholic must also file a dispensation asking for permission to marry in a Church or venue other than a Catholic church.

These documents are prepared at the first meeting with the priest

            b.         Letter of Freedom to Marry 

            A Catholic party who is not a member of this parish will need a "Letter of Freedom to Marry," obtainable from the parish where he/she is currently registered. This document establishes "free state" according to the records of the home parish. This document is obtained from the parish where the Catholic party is currently registered and worshipping, or retains a permanent residence

         c.      Testimonials of Free Status

              Four testimonials [two for the bride and two for the groom] are to be executed, signed, and sealed with the parish seal and included in the documentation.  Persons who know each party for many years will need to provide testimony that he or she knows that the perspective bride or groom has never been married before.   These documents can be executed at St. AJ with the persons testifying, or in the parish where the persons who are giving testimony are living.   If written testimony cannot be obtained easily, then it can be obtained verbally, over the telephone, in accord with accepted diocesan policy. These testimonials will be discussed with the priest at the first meeting as part of the Premarital Questionnaire.

            d.         Letter of Permission

                        Because your marriage is taking place in a Catholic Church other than St. Agatha-St. James, this parish will provide a “Letter of Permission” transferring canonical jurisdiction of the marriage to the church where the marriage is taking place

            e.         If this is a second marriage for either party…

            If either party has been married before, then certain additional documents are needed depending on the circumstances, such as: authentic copies of death certificates and/or a declaration of nullity.        

            f.          Marriage License

            If your marriage is taking place outside the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, please remember to obtain a marriage license from the state/country in which you plan to marry which you will need to present to the priest who will officiate at the ceremony.

4.         Miscellaneous

As mentioned above, there may be other situations and circumstances in your case

that may require additional measures and/or documentation. These will be discussed with the priest at the first meeting, such as, if the marriage is taking place outside the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

5.     Special Consideration for Weddings outside the Archdiocese of Philadelphia

When preparation for marriage takes place in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, but the wedding is celebrated in another diocese in the United States, certain paperwork, including the documentation mentioned above, must be sent to the Chancery Office of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia for inter-diocesan authentication. The Philadelphia Chancery Office will forward your materials to the Chancery Office of the diocese in which the marriage takes place, which will in turn mail that info to the pastor of the parish where the marriage is being celebrated.

6.         Special Consideration for Weddings outside the United States

1.         Some countries/territories do not permit marriages unless at least one of the parties is a citizen or has a parent who is a resident.  You need to be sure about this policy.

2.         You need to provide photocopies of the photographs and pages of each party’s official passport. The priest who is working with you must authenticate these copies by visually comparing them to the original passports so you will need to bring the original passports with you for this purpose. 

3.         All of your documents will be forwarded to the Chancery Office in Philadelphia and once authenticated they will forward them to the Chancery office of the foreign country where the wedding is taking place, which will in turn forward them to the parish where the wedding is taking place.  Since these documents are sent via Federal Express to assure prompt and safe delivery, you are asked to cover the cost to the Archdiocese of mailing your documents.  This cost has averaged out over the years to $30.00.  The priest will contact the Chancery to determine the exact cost based on destination and you can make a check payable to “The Chancery” for that amount.

 4.         Since several dioceses require proof of Confirmation and First Holy Communion for all Catholic parties, please include these certificates as well.

5.         For marriages to take place in Rome or Vatican City:  there are many special regulations, both civil and ecclesiastical, in these cases.  These regulations can be obtained from:  http://www.santasusanna.org/weddingsRome/weddingsRome.html.