the sacrament of matrimony
WeddingsChristian Marriage
By the matrimonial covenant, a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life. This covenant between baptized persons has been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a sacrament.
Christian spouses have their own special gifts in the People of God. The grace proper to the sacrament of Matrimony is intended to perfect the couple’s love and to strengthen their indissoluble unity. By this grace they help one another to attain holiness in their married life and in welcoming and educating their children.
Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1601, 1641.
How to book
To book your wedding phone or email the parish office, or visit the parish office in person, during office hours: 9am – 4pm, Tuesday to Friday.
All our parish churches are available for weddings most Saturdays at 1pm and 3pm. Other days and times are available via personal arrangements with the priests.
Couple are encouraged to marry in the parish church of either party. The priests of the parish are always willing to celebrate parish weddings, but you are also free to arrange a priest from outside the parish. Please inform the parish office of this decision at the earliest opportunity.
Call the parish office
(03) 5021 2872
E-mail the parish office
sunraysia@ballarat.catholic.org.au
Marriage preparation
The Church’s pastoral role emphasizes the significance of preparing for marriage within a faith community. We highly recommend reaching out to one of our priests as soon as you book your wedding, ideally twelve months before the ceremony. This will allow you to schedule a meeting with the priest and commence your preparation.
Additionally, couples are expected to participate in the pre-marriage FOCCUS program held in our parish (or your own parish if you reside elsewhere), or another approved pre-marriage course such as the pre-marriage course conducted by CatholicCare.
Costs
The total fee for a wedding at St Anne & St Joachim is $650. This includes a Church fee of $350, which also covers the cost of participating in the FOCCUS program. The remaining $300is for the priest’s services and contributes to a fund supporting the priests of our diocese.
To secure your wedding date, a deposit of $400 is required within 30 days of booking, with the balance due one month prior to the wedding.