Congratulations on your engagement!  Our Lady of the Lakes is excited for you and happy to share in your love.  The Sacrament of Marriage is most beautiful.  Jesus compared his relationship with his people as that of a husband and wife.  We want your marriage to be holy, sacramental and the beginning of a life long union.  The following are expectations that need to be completed in order to get married at Our Lady of the Lakes.

• The bride, groom, or the parents of the bride and/or groom need to be registered members of Our Lady of the Lakes
• Set appointment to complete the church prenuptial forms (A-form)
• Set wedding and rehearsal dates (the Catholic church requires a 6 month preparation period)
• Complete online marriage inventory and review results
• Attend Pre-marriage Class
• Acquire current copies of baptismal certificates
• Pray, discern and grow as an engaged couple

When a Catholic was married outside the church and wants to be married in a valid Catholic Ceremony it is called a Convalidation.

The Catholic Church requires by Canon Law (the law of the Church) that Catholics enter into marriage by free mutual consent that is witnessed in a church by an authorized bishop, priest, or deacon and at least two witnesses.

Sometimes this does not occur for different reasons.  A Catholic might marry outside the Church and doesn’t realize that these requirements exist.  They could be waiting for an annulment or one or both partners might not have been active in the church at the time of their marriage.

Convalidations are sometimes referred to as the “blessing” of a marriage.  It is important to realize that a convalidation is not the renewal of the vows made previously but is a new act of consent by each spouse.

We very much want to help couples enter into a valid Catholic marriage.  Please contact the parish office at [email protected] or call 248-623-0274 for more information.

Though not a sacrament, annulment information is included here because any person who wishes to enter marriage in the Catholic Church, and who has a former spouse who is living, needs to look at the possibility of needing an annulment.  An annulment determines that at the time of marriage something was missing in the relationship preventing the marriage from being sacramental.  There was a valid, legal and civil marriage, but not a valid sacramental marriage.  Listed below is information to help you through the annulment process.

• Gather information at AOD.org website here
• Review annulment application with advocate before starting process
• Obtain copies of marriage license and divorce decree
• Annulments can take up to two years to obtain
• No date can be set for Marriage in the Catholic Church until annulment is granted

Please contact the parish office at [email protected] or call 248-623-0274 to review application or with questions.

Please contact the parish office at [email protected] or call 248-623-0274 to set an appointment to meet with a priest.