Welcome, and congratulations on your engagement!

We at Good Shepherd share your joy and look forward to the day when you will be joined together as one in the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony. We are excited to walk with you as you prepare for this next step in your journey.

The sacrament of Matrimony is an essential part of God’s plan, as the history of salvation “begins with the creation of man and woman in the image and likeness of God and concludes with a vision of "the wedding-feast of the Lamb” (CCC 1602)

Through Marriage:

- A perpetual, exclusive, and irrevocable bond arises between the spouses

- Spouses are strengthened and consecrated for the

duties and the dignity of their state

- Spouses enter a covenant with one another that is

integrated into God's covenant with humanity

- Spouses receive the grace intended to perfect the couple's love

and strengthen their indissoluble unity

- Spouses receive the grace to help one another attain holiness in their married life

and in welcoming and educating children

Preparing for Marriage

Contact Fr. Fox

The first step when preparing for marriage is to contact your Pastor. Due to the serious nature of the life-long commitment you are getting ready to make, preparation is done over a time period of 9 - 12 months. It is important that you contact Fr. Fox as early as possible to ensure you are able to get all the necessary preparation done in time before your wedding. Fr. Fox will help you navigate the steps below.

Initial Meeting

At this meeting, you’ll learn about the preparation process for the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony, begin the necessary paperwork for your marriage file, and set your tentative wedding date. The initial meetings with a priest or deacon will ensure that there is nothing standing in the way of a wedding in the Church. These initial meetings also begin the process of creating a marriage file, which is a record of everything that was done during marriage preparation.

FOCCUS Inventory

The FOCCUS Inventory provides you with a personalized profile of your relationship. Your parish will set up your inventory session and, upon completion, the follow-up sessions needed to review your results. These sessions aim to facilitate communication between you and your future spouse. *Note: Some parishes use inventories other than FOCCUS

Natural Family Planning

NFP respects the love-giving and life-giving natures of marriage, and enriches the bond between husband and wife. This course gives couples a natural approach to understanding the cycles of fertility and infertility.

Reconciliation

Catholics preparing for the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony are encouraged to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation just prior to their wedding date. Reconciliation and the Eucharist are invaluable sources of grace and healing. Celebrate this sacrament with your spouse-to-be!