Marriage

“Marriage is a gift of God and a means of grace.”

What is marriage?
Marriage is a partnership founded by solemn vows exchanged between two persons to take each other as their spouse with the intention of lifelong commitment. As Christians, we understand this particular mode of shared life to be a gift of God and a means of grace.

Marriage is a gift because it is a vowed, lifelong commitment freely exchanged between two people to “serve one another in the bond of covenant love.” Marriage is a means of God’s grace because this kind of commitment reflects the faithfulness of God’s own love for the world. Healthy marriages are sites of grace in our fragmented world where unity can overcome estrangement, forgiveness heal guilt, and joy overcome despair. In marriage, spouses give themselves to each other, to care for one another in good times and in bad: “It is a way of life that all should reverence, and none should lightly undertake.”

What are the requirements to be married at St. Margaret’s?

It is the responsibility of those who intend to marry to notify the parish priest at least sixty (60) days before the date proposed for a wedding. All weddings officiated by a priest are to take place in the church (except for sufficient cause to hold it at another location) and at least one of the two persons is required to be a baptised person. The requirements of Ontario civil law must be met. It is the duty of the priest to provide or secure appropriate marriage preparation so that all persons seeking marriage in the Church are encouraged to give effect, with God’s help, to the vows which they are preparing to make.

Blessing of a Civil Marriage

Couples who have undertaken a civil ceremony to solemnize their marriage, and later wish to affirm the Christian nature of the marriage, may do so in the context of the parish's public worship on Sundays. Through scripture readings, the prayers of the faithful, and a solemn prayer of blessing on their vows, we invite the Holy Spirit to guide and uphold them in their marriage commitment.