Sacrament of Matrimony

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Congratulations on your engagement!

We are so happy that you are inquiring about the marriage preparation program at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Portland, OR. This document will help guide you through the steps of our marriage preparation process and elucidate the program’s expectations.

At St. Patrick we believe, teach, and uphold what the Catholic Church believes, teaches and upholds concerning the sacrament of marriage. The Church teaches that marriage is a lifelong covenant between a man and a woman for the spiritual and material good of the couple, and for the generation and education of children.

Who May Celebrate a Wedding In Our Parish?

All weddings conducted at Saint Patrick must be those which are in conformity with the teachings of the Catholic Church. For a couple to be married at Saint Patrick, one of two conditions must be met:

  1. The bride or the groom is a registered, active, and regularly contributing member of Saint Patrick and has been so for at least three months prior to the commencement of their six-month marriage preparation period. To be an active member means attending Mass every Sunday, volunteering at some level, and demonstrating consistent support of the parish financially through tithing. 

  2. When a couple is able to provide their own priest and the church calendar permits, consideration may be given to hosting a wedding for guests, or non-registered Catholic bridal parties. Non-registered guests must obtain a "letter of permission" from their own parish. Please note that there is an additional fee for non-registered bridal parties seeking to celebrate a wedding.
People eating around an outdoor grill for Kermes
Hamburgers on grill

Sacramental Preparation Process

To get started fill out and submit the online Wedding Inquiry Form.  Our pastoral assistant will contact you with 1-2 working days to learn more about you and assess where you are in your spiritual journey. We also recommend carefully reading the Marriage Prep Process document.

Getting Started

To get started fill out and submit the online Wedding Inquiry Form.