church

laurenoliveira23

My fiance and I live in Vancouver, Canada but we are having our wedding in Toronto because my entire family is there (which is big) so it's more convenient and makes more sense

We would like to get married in the catholic church. My fiance isn't catholic and I've seen this happen before so that's not what I'm worried about.

My worry is that we aren't going to find a church that allows us to be married in it.

I just want to know how I should go about this, my cousin said some churches require you to attend every sunday mass, some require you to be registered.

There is one church I am looking at in particular - I was baptized there and my parents are still registered there. My mom said just to go in with my baptisim certificate and tell them the situation (how I live somewhere else but this is where the wedding is) and just tell them how much I want to get married in that church.

I'm aware of the marriage counselling - my cousin (she's getting married this june) said a "weekend getaway" is an option so I'll probably opt for that as oppose to spreading it out.

lalaith50

Are you currently registered and active at another church where you live? If so, it would be easier b/c then your church can help with the preparation, even if it's in another city. Most churches don't like to do weddings for people they don't "know," b/c even if you're paying them, it still requires a lot of time/effort/expense for them to "host" a wedding. Now, since your parents are registered there, it might be easier, b/c some churches regularly marry kids of parishioners.

If you were baptized there and your parents are still registered there, I don't think that you need to go in with your "guns blazing" to try and convince them the situation. Either they will have a policy that would make it easy for you to get married there, or they won't.  Just explain the situation, and most importantly, instead of trying to beg with them that you want to get married there, help them to see that getting married in the Catholic Church itself is important to you, and why. Good luck!

laurenoliveira23

ya we're registered at the church back home here as well

thanks so much

professorscience

I know churches in Dallas specify that either you or your family must be members of the church in which you wish to marry.  H and I moved just about once a year, so we hadn't settled into a "home" church by the time we got engaged.  BIL/SIL, on the other hand, were active members in their neighborhood church, so we were able to declare membership and get married there.

Just make sure you're completely honest with the priest you talk with and he will be able to answer your concerns.  I saw in your other thread that you and your FI live together.  I know that some priests will not marry couples who cohabitate, so be prepared to deal with that (a lot of the time they will recommend you live as "brother and sister").

OliveOilsMom

Since you have family who are active in the church, assuming your parents still regularly attend, I don't think you will have much problems getting married there.  Just explain the situation that you will be marrying in Toronto since all family is there, but you live in Vancover.  You may have to pay a slighter higher church fee (my church has a member and non-member fee).  You said you are members, but sometimes the church goes by how active your membership is, ie weekly contributions to show weekly mass attendance.

I'm not familiar with how diocese in Canada are divided up, but you should not have many problems completing your pre-cana in Vancouver.  The only thing would be if Vancouver & Toronto have different diocese and they each have different requirements for pre cana.