Holy Matrimony

“The matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life, is by its nature ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring; this covenant between baptized persons has been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a sacrament.” (CCC1601)

Preparing for your wedding at Holy Ghost. There are a few important steps to prepare for the Sacrament of Matrimony. To be married at Holy Ghost, you must be an active and practicing parishioner for at least one year before booking a date in our church.

We know that many people from outside of our parish like to hold their receptions in Newport, however, with the shortage of priests, we do not accept non-parishioners for weddings. Please use the following steps in preparing for your wedding at Holy Ghost Church.

Preparing for your wedding at Holy Ghost. DO NOT book your reception before booking your wedding with the Parish Priest! There are a few important steps to prepare for the Sacrament of Matrimony. To be married at Holy Ghost, you must be an active and practicing parishioner for at least one year before booking a date in our church. We know that many people from outside of our parish like to hold their receptions in Newport, however, with the shortage of priests, we do not accept non-parishioners for weddings.Please use the following steps in preparing for your wedding at Holy Ghost Church.

1) Appointment With the Pastor: Make an appointment with the pastor 6 months to one year before your planned date of marriage. (DO NOT book your reception, before you meet with the pastor!)2) Required Certificates

Procure new copies of the following documents:
Baptismal certificate
First Communion certificate
Confirmation certificate
Birth certificate (for non-catholics)

Sacramental certificates may be obtained by calling the church where you received the Sacrament. If the church has been closed, call a nearby parish or the chancery of the diocese to enquire where the records for the closed church are kept.

All other steps will be presented during your appointment with the Parish Priest!

After meeting with the Parish Priest, you can prepare other wedding details.

Now that you have met with the Parish Priest, you are ready to do more of your wedding preparations. The following information will help you prepare for your big day.Be sure to read and understand the guidelines for a wedding at Holy Ghost before the other steps.

Holy Ghost Wedding Guidelines

If you have not done so yet, check out the latest Marriage Preparation Program Book for the classes required by the Diocese of Providence. I strongly suggest that you find dates that are good for the two of you and book them immediately. The marriage preparation classes fill up fast, so don’t wait to do this.

2012 Marriage Preparation Classes (required by the Diocese of Providence)

Be sure to meet with our parish Music Director, Fran Garrepy, so that she will put your date in her book and also help you to choose appropriate hymns for this sacred ceremony. You can talk with Fran following any weekend Mass.

Music (See our Music Director, Fran Garrepy, following weekend Mass)

You may choose from the approved prayers and readings for the celebration of your wedding. The Mass consists of three readings. The first reading is taken from the Old Testament, the second reading from the New Testament and the Gospel. You may choose readers for the first and second readings. The Gospel is read by the Priest and the Psalm Response is sung by the organist.

As you select your readings and prayers, please note the numbers, so that you can fill out the Wedding Planning Request Form. Be sure to keep a copy for your records.

If your wedding is being celebrated outside of the Mass. You need to choose the Nuptial Blessing, which is listed with the Mass Prayers.

You may choose someone to read the First and Second Readings and the Intercessions. Please be sure that the person you choose is able to read them clearly and with dignity. It is important that your readers have a copy readings long in advance so that they can prepare.