NJ Catholic Couple Living Together

JulesElizabeth89

Hi all,

 I'm recently engaged, and starting to seriously look at venues and churches for the ceremony. I know we need to find a priest to agree to marry us first, and so I wanted to ask any North Jersey brides if they had any luck or trouble finding a priest to marry you if you and your fiancé were living together. I'm in the Jersey City/Hoboken area, and there are a few beautiful churches I'm looking into registering at, but I'm also open to the idea of going a little further west too. Please let me know if you can think of any priests in the area who will not mind me and my fiancé living together!

Thanks!!

ILoveBeachMusic

You might have better luck posting on the local board because this board isn't very active (but neither are the local ones from what I hear). I'm sure you will be able to find someone.

IrishPirate60

A Catholic wedding is usually celebrated in the parish of the bride or groom. It is the place where one or both regularly attend and participate in the life of that faith community. As a sacrament, it is celebrated publicly, with the community promising to be both example and witness to the promises made.

Do you want a Catholic wedding? Or a pretty backdrop?

MesmrEwe

First - you two need to choose a "Home" parish, not a pretty church.  A parish that you and your FI can attend weekly mass and become active parish members and spiritually grow your relationship with God.  If you need help finding parishes, check out masstimes.org as you may be able to find more options than you knew in your immediate area.  We go to a parish a little farther away from us because it's more of a ""fit" for us than the parishes that are closer to our house.  Ask yourselves why you want to be married in the Catholic church - the answer is not a pretty venue, and really ask the hard question because getting married in the Catholic Church isn't easy, there are a lot of well placed hoops to jump through for a reason!

Chances are if you become active in a parish and show up repeatedly to mass each weekend, you'll have an easier time getting started with your marriage prep by making your first contact with the priest at mass itself.  You do want to have this meeting to find out what the requirements are, it's not that you're living together, it's are you sleeping in the same bed is the bigger issue they'll have with you and FI living together.