Marriage

The Vocation Office recognizes the Church’s understanding of Marriage as a sacrament at the service of unity. Though discernment of and preparation for the sacrament ordinarily takes place within a parish, the Vocation office in collaboration with the Office of Catholic Marriage, Family, and Respect Life Ministry promotes the sacrament of marriage through the listing diocesan level events that as well as the following brief description of the theology of marriage. For further information contact your local parish.

Two other sacraments, Holy Orders and Matrimony, are directed towards the salvation of others; if they contribute as well to personal salvation, it is through service to others that they do so. They confer a particular mission in the Church and serve to build up the People of God. Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) 1534

Through these sacraments those already consecrated by Baptism and Confirmation for the common priesthood of all the faithful can receive particular consecrations. Those who receive the sacrament of Holy Orders are consecrated in Christ’s name “to feed the Church by the word and grace of God.” On their part, “Christian Spouses are fortified and, as it were, consecrated for the duties and dignity of their state by a special sacrament. CCC 1535

It is here that the father of the family, the mother, children, and all members of the family exercise the priesthood of the baptized in a privileged way “by the reception of the sacraments, prayer, and thanksgiving, the witness of a holy life, and self-denial and active charity.” Thus the home is the first school of Christian life and “a school for human enrichment.” Here one learns endurance and the joy of work, fraternal love, generous-even repeated-forgiveness, and above all divine worship in prayer and the offering of one’s life. CCC 1657