Marriage
The decision you have made to celebrate the Sacrament of Marriage is a great gift to yourselves, your families, friends, and the Christian community.
Marriage is a public witness that symbolizes and expresses the bond between God and humanity. It is a sacrament of vocation that brings challenge, joy, and blessing to everyone.
Roman Catholic theology teaches that the bride and groom are principle ministers of the Sacrament of Marriage. The exchange of consent and life-long vows is witnessed by the priest or deacon on behalf of the church. Marriage preparation is intended to assist the bride and groom in every way possible as they assume this role in the Christian community.
The following information is intended to help as you plan and prepare for your wedding at Saint Vincent de Paul Parish. The marriage preparation steps are also required if you plan on having your wedding elsewhere but wish to participate in marriage preparation through Saint Vincent’s. While each wedding is unique, there are also logistical guidelines and parish customs that will be included in your marriage planning and preparation.
Who Can Be Married at Saint Vincent’s?
- Saint Vincent’s requires that the bride, the groom, or both, be registered parishioners for four months prior to contacting the Parish Office to discuss wedding dates and preparation.
- Saint Vincent’s welcomes DePaul University faculty, staff, students, and alumni weddings provided either the bride, groom, or both are Roman Catholic and actively engaged in the practice of their faith.
- Any previous marriages must be resolved by a declaration of nullity before we can discuss marriage at St. Vincent. This applies to Catholics and non-Catholics, as well as marriages performed outside of the Catholic Church.
Marriage Preparation Steps
The steps, logistics and policies in preparing for marriage at St. Vincent’s are available in printable PDF format as Marriage Preparation and Wedding Policies (162 KB).
Please review this document for important information about parish guidelines and customs that will effect your marriage preparation and planning.
Baptism
All are welcome to inquire about our Baptismal program at St. Vincent DePaul Parish. We do encourage you to register your family as parishioners and become active in our community.
Please contact Mary Jo Polark or at the Parish Center to register for a Baptism preparation class. The classes are facilitated by Deacon Dean Vaeth, and are held on the 3rd Thursday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the Parish Center. You may attend this class either before or after your child is born.
Following class attendance and after your child is born, please contact Mary Jo to schedule a date for your baby’s Baptism. Baptisms are celebrated on the 4th Sunday of the month at 11:30 a.m. with Deacon Dean Vaeth presiding. We limit the number of baptisms at each ceremony to 5. The sacrament of baptism is not celebrated during the Lenten season.
Penance and Reconciliation
The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation [confession] is offered each Saturday evening from 4:15 p.m. until 4:45 p.m. in the church. If you would like to schedule an individual confession at another time, please contact the Parish Office.