Sacred Heart Church Preston
For Catholics, the Sacrament of Marriage, or Holy Matrimony, is a public sign that one gives oneself totally to this other person. It is also a public statement about God: the loving union of husband and wife speaks of family values that are based on Jesus’ eternal love for his bride – the Church.
Second Vatican Council dramatically refocused the understanding of marriage from a sort of legal contract to that of a Sacrament that is solidly rooted in Scripture, sealed as it were, by Jesus’ own words in the Gospels of Matthew (5:31-32), Mark (10:6-9) and Luke (16:18), “But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife and the two shall become one flesh.’ (…) Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”
That’s why, for the Church, marriage is more about relationship than it is about property, rights, and responsibilities. Marriage is understood as a gift from God, a graced moment in the lives of two people with a need to ground their relationship in Gospel values and Church teachings. It is a sacrament because it is a visible sign of love between Christ and His Church and because it is a sacred pledge of fidelity between a man and a woman.
What if you live in another parish but want to have your Wedding at Sacred Heart?
You would need a letter of permission from your home parish giving us permission to marry you at Sacred Heart.
Fee: $500 for administration and use of the Church plus a donation to the priest. (To be paid prior to the Wedding)
Please call the Parish Office if you have queries about this Sacrament or want to understand more.
Preparation for Marriage requires at least six months notification. Couples must meet with a priest to begin the preparation and paperwork. Please contact the Parish Office.