Congratulations on your upcoming wedding! We are very happy that you have chosen to celebrate your marriage in Good Shepherd Parish. These guidelines are offered to help you plan your wedding so that the celebration will be a spiritual and faithfilled occasion for all involved.


Music:

Good Shepherd Parish provides names and contact information to each couple. The couple is responsible for paying the musicians/organist/cantor. This is not included in the fee for the wedding. Couples may bring in outside musicians/cantors, but the music for the wedding must be appropriate liturgical music. See Wedding Music Guidelines.


Fees:

Parishioner - $300.00 This fee includes Marriage Preparation

(Additional $200.00 Heating Charge, for both parishioner and non-parishioner, at St. Joseph Church from November 15 through April 15.)

Non-parishioner - $500.00    St. Brendan Church - $700.00

At the initial meeting with a Good Shepherd Priest or Deacon a deposit of one-half of the total amount is due.  The remaining amount is due one month prior to the wedding date.


Flowers:

You are welcome to decorate the Church with flowers. Keep in mind that the Church is a place of worship so the use of flowers should be respectful and appropriate. Flowers are not allowed on the altar itself. Sprays or arrangements in front of the altar is perfectly acceptable.  Nothing may be hung on the interior or exterior walls of the church.


Runners:

For your safety and that of your wedding party a runner may not be used.


Photographer/Videographer:

Having a beautiful visual record of your wedding is a wonderful keepsake for any couple and Good Shepherd Parish welcomes photographers and videographers with the following guideline – They need to be respectful of the ceremony in general so they should do their best to be unobtrusive, and under no circumstances should they enter the sanctuary.

Unity Candles:

Unity Candles may be used although they are not necessary in the Rite of Marriage. They are not provided by Good Shepherd. The church does not provide a stand/holder for the Unity Candles.  If you wish to use unity candles, please bring your own candles and holder.   Due to the fire hazard, the only candles allowed are the Unity Candles and the altar candles.


Rice/Confetti/Sparkles/etc:

Because the parish has limited janitorial staff, especially on weekends, we ask that you do not throw any flower petals/ rice/confetti/sparkles/etc. at any time during the ceremony including on the steps of the Church. 


Communion Guidelines for Mass:

For Catholics – As Catholics, we fully participate in the celebration of the Eucharist when we receive Holy Communion. We are encouraged to receive Communion devoutly and frequently. In order to be properly disposed to receive Communion, participants should not be conscious of grave sin and normally should have fasted for one hour. A person who is conscious of grave sin is not to receive the Body and Blood of the Lord without prior sacramental confession except for a grave reason where there is no opportunity for confession. In this case, the person is to be mindful of the obligation to make an act of contrition, including the intention of confessing as soon as possible (Code of Canon Law, canon 916). A frequent reception of the Sacrament of Penance is encouraged for all.

For our fellow Christians – We welcome our fellow Christians to this celebration of the Eucharist as our brothers and sisters. We pray that our common baptism and the action of the Holy Spirit in this Eucharist will draw us closer to one another and begin to dispel the sad divisions that separate us. We pray that these will lessen and finally disappear, in keeping with Christ’s prayer for us “that they may all be one” (John 17:21).

Because Catholics believe that the celebration of the Eucharist is a sign of the reality of the oneness of faith, life and worship, members of those churches with whom we are not yet fully united are ordinarily not admitted to Holy Communion. Eucharistic sharing in exceptional circumstances by other Christians requires permission according to the directives of the diocesan bishop and the provisions of canon law (canon 844 § 4). Members of the Orthodox Churches, the Assyrian Church of the East, and the Polish National Catholic Church are urged to respect the discipline of their own Churches. According to the Roman Catholic discipline, the Code of Canon Law does not object to the reception of communion by Christians of these Churches (canon 844 § 3).

For those not receiving Holy Communion – All who are not receiving Holy Communion are encouraged to express in their hearts a prayerful desire for unity with the Lord Jesus and with one another.

For non-Christians – We also welcome to this celebration those who do not share our faith in Jesus Christ. While we cannot admit them to Holy Communion, we ask them to offer their prayers for the peace and the unity of the human family.