Marriage

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Marriage
- Marriage is a wonderful sacrament shared between a man and a woman; it is a public sign of your lifelong love and commitment to one another. When you have found the one you hope to spend your future with, please give us a call at 310-540-0329, ext. 223 at least six months in advance of your desired wedding date. Our guidelines for weddings can be accessed from the link below.
  Church Guidelines
  Already married? We have many wonderful resources available to help you maintain a healthy marriage.
  Marriage Resources
- What to Expect
- Engaged Encounter
What to Expect
- All couples preparing for marriage at St. Lawrence Martyr Church are required to meet with one of our priests to assess your readiness for marriage, to set the date in the church calendar and to begin the process of Catholic marriage preparation. (In some circumstances it is also possible to have one of our deacons celebrate your wedding, particularly in cases where only one party is Catholic.)
  
  In addition to meeting with your priest/celebrant, you will be required to participate in a Catholic Engaged Encounter weekend, and to complete a FOCCUS Premarital Inventory.
  
  Who may be married here?
  
  In order to be married in the Catholic Church, at least one of the parties must be a baptized Catholic; ideally one who has completed all sacraments of initiation. Also, while we do have some availability to Catholics living outside the boundaries of St. Lawrence Martyr, please understand that preference will be given to active, registered parishioners of St. Lawrence Martyr and to those living within parish boundaries.
  
  What times are available for weddings?
  
  Weddings in the parish church are generally celebrated at 5:00pm on Fridays and at 1:00pm on Saturdays. It is not our practice to celebrate weddings on Sunday.
  
  What is the cost?
  
  Please refer to the wedding guidelines book linked above. Donations and fees are outlined there. If you need more detail prior to your first meeting, please call Susan Roberts at 310-540-0329, ext. 223.
  
  What is the availability of the Chapel for weddings?
  
  The parish center chapel may be made available for very small weddings and wedding convalidations at the discretion of the priest or deacon celebrant.
Engaged Encounter
- Catholic Engaged Encounter is a weekend devoted to preparing couples to commit themselves to the sacrament of marriage. The weekend, presented by married couples and a priest, takes place at local retreat centers in the Los Angeles Archdiocese. Completion of the weekend retreat fulfills the marriage preparation requirements of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Read more…
  
  For more information, contact the Pastoral Center at 310-540-0329.