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St. Ephrem
Catholic CHURCH

Sterling Heights, MI

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  • Welcome
  • Parish and Local Events
  • About Us
    • Who We Are
      • Our Staff
      • Contact us
    • Our Parish
      • Our Patron, St. Ephrem
      • Our Parish History
      • Archdiocese of Detroit information
      • Join
  • Families of Parishes
      • Families of Parishes
  • Sacraments
      • Baptism
      • Reconciliation
      • Eucharist
      • Confirmation
      • Matrimony
      • Holy Orders
      • Eucharistic Adoration
  • Religious Education
    • Religious Education
      • Religious Education
    • Special Needs
      • Students with Special Needs
      • Safe Environment
  • Becoming Catholic
      • Becoming Catholic
  • Get Involved
    • Serve
      • Altar Servers
      • Eucharistic Ministers of Holy Communion
      • Lectors
      • Music Ministry
      • Ushers
    • Parish Ministries
      • Extraordinary Ministers to the Sick
      • SMILE - Mother's group
      • Coffee and Donuts
    • Outreach
      • Food Pantry
      • Rosary Makers and Sewing Ministry
      • St Vincent de Paul
      • Support Groups
      • Knights of Columbus
  • The Latest
      • Bulletin
  • Donate
      • Online Giving FAQs
      • Catholic Services Appeal (CSA)
      • Fundraising
      • Stewardship

 

    • The Sacrament of Marriage

      "Marriage: the principal and original self-gift is the unitive, mutual self-gift of the spouses to each other. In their marriage promises, the spouses pledge love and fidelity for as long as they live. The transmission of life is a sublime, concrete realization of this radical self-gift between a man and a woman. The mutual married love of man and woman ― becomes an image of the absolute and unfailing love with which God loves man[kind], because as mutual self-gift, it is at the same time creative self-gift. The unitive and the procreative meanings of marriage are joined because they are two aspects of the same self-giving."

      USCCB Pastoral Letter

    • Newly engaged?

      Congratulations! 

      Please click the link below to fill out our Pre-Marriage Inquiry. Once submitted, the parish office will be in touch with you shortly to set up the Pre-Nuptial Interview with Fr. Aro.

      Click here to complete Pre-Marriage Inquiry

      **The engaged couple should wait to book a reception venue until a wedding date has been set by the parish priest.
       
      Please note that wedding dates are not scheduled through the parish office and the office is not able to confirm if a certain date is available or not.

    • Getting Married at 
      St. Ephrem

      Congratulations on your engagement! Any couple wishing to enter the sacrament of Matrimony must first be a member of the Parish for a minimum of six months*, after which a meeting will be set with the Administrator. 

       Please contact the parish office to begin marriage preparation. Archdiocesan policy requires a period of six months from the initial interview until the wedding date. The wedding date will be set after meeting with the Administrator.** See the tabs below for the Steps for Marriage Preparation.


      (*If there no prior relationship with St. Ephrem, such as growing up in the parish or membership of parents, then an additional six month period is added to form a relationship with us before a date is confirmed.  Special circumstances will be considered.) 


      Please note: Wedding dates are not set by the parish office. The parish office is not able to confirm if a certain date is available.

  • Steps for marriage preparation

    • Step 1: Initial Meeting with Priest
      • The initial meeting is with the parish priest.

        Topics to cover:

        • Determine Freedom to Marry
        • Discuss Marriage Preparation Process
        • Complete “A” Form
        • Potentially schedule Wedding Date (depending on findings from Freedom to Marry/"A" Form discussions)
    • Step 2: Making Wedding Deposit (Fee schedule coming soon)
      • Step 3: Pre-Marriage Inventory Review
          • Complete an online relationship assessment. Your custom codes/link will be emailed to you from “PREPARE-ENRICH” within one week of your initial meeting. (Please be sure to check your SPAM.)
          • Schedule your Inventory Review Session with Counselor, Joe Manuszak once you have finished your inventory.
          • Attend additional sessions if needed.
      • Step 4: Contact Priest Celebrating your Wedding
          • There is typically a series of meetings with the presider who will witness your wedding.
          • The first meeting occurs after review of the pre-marriage inventory.
          • Additional meetings are determined on a case-by-case basis.
          • The planning of the liturgy will be completed within the last two months of marriage preparation with the mentor couple. Once complete, the priest will meet with the couple to go over the liturgy.
      • Step 5: Natural Family Planning and Marriage Prep Sessions
        • Couples will complete the Marriage Preparation and Natural Family Planning courses through the Archdiocese of Detroit's Encounter, Grow, Witness website. These courses are free and provide a certificate of completion once finished.


          To access these courses, please visit:
          https://learn.aod.org/collections/marriage-prep
      • Step 6: Attend the Marriage Prep Retreat
        • The Pre-Marriage Retreat shares the practical wisdom of how to grow together in a deepening, Christ-centered love for an exceptional, passionate and enduring Catholic marriage. This retreat is a time for couples to reflect and connect in a relaxed, comfortable setting with fellow engaged couples.

      • Step 7: Meet with a Married Mentor Couple
          • A married mentor couple will be available to be a source of support and guidance through the preparation process.
          • Within the last two months of marriage preparation, the mentor couple will assist you in planning your Nuptial Liturgy.
      • Step 8: Sacrament of Reconciliation
          • It is such a gift to enter into the Sacrament of Marriage knowing the gift of God's forgiveness. For this reason, couples are encouraged to go to confession before their wedding.
      • Step 9: Wedding Rehearsal
          • The wedding rehearsal will be led by your mentor couple.
          • Arrangements will be made to schedule a date to meet at the church to prepare and rehearse for the wedding.
          • If you are getting married on Saturday, your rehearsal will be Friday (the day before the wedding) at 5pm.
          • If you are getting married on a Friday, your rehearsal will be Thursday (the day before) at 5pm.
          • If a change is necessary to the rehearsal date, you will be notified in advance.


      • Convalidation: Bringing Your Marriage
        Into The Church 

        Note: The following text is intended to give a basic overview of the convalidation process. Because every couple’s situation is unique and because practices related to the implementation of the process may vary from diocese to diocese, persons interested in pursuing a convalidation and/or a declaration of nullity should speak with their parish priest or a professional at the local Tribunal.


        “It is the presence of the Lord, who reveals Himself and the gift of His grace,
         that will render your marriage full and profoundly true.” – Pope Francis


        Is my Marriage Recognized by the Church?
        Like other couples in your parish or family, you may be wondering if your marriage is fully recognized by the Catholic Church. Catholic Church law ordinarily requires baptized Roman Catholics to marry before a priest or deacon. Unless they received a “dispensation from canonical form,” Catholics who exchange vows in the presence of ministers from other religious traditions or civil officials are not considered validly married in the eyes of the Catholic Church.

        Regardless of what happened in the past, the Catholic Church invites you to bring new meaning to your lives by embracing the vocation of marriage and dedicating your family’s mission to sharing God’s love.

        Why Marry Catholic?
        Catholic Marriage is unique among other marital relationships because it is a sacrament that makes Christ present in our world. The relationship between husband and wife mirrors the relationship of Jesus Christ for his people. In the Catholic tradition, the husband and wife accept a role in God’s plan for humanity. They are ambassadors of God’s love, and they collaborate with God to keep humanity alive.

        The vows exchanged by the couple are a sacred pact through which the spouses embrace each other, and, together, embrace Jesus as their partner. Through their union with Christ, they participate in the unbreakable pact between God and humanity: the covenant that was sealed in the death and resurrection of Christ.

        Benefits of Catholic Marriage
        One of the many benefits of a sacramental marriage is the power of God’s grace, which helps couples keep their commitment and find happiness together. Social scientists are finding that couples who recognize God’s presence in their relationship experience more satisfaction and are more likely to achieve lifelong marriage.

        All in all, couples who choose to bring their marriage into the Church receive many gifts – peace of heart, oneness with the Church, the fullness of the sacraments, and God’s special blessing upon their marriage.

        What if there is a Prior Marriage?
        In the simplest terms, if a Catholic wishes to marry in the Church when there has been a previous marriage for either party, the partner in the earlier union must have died or the Church must have issued a declaration of nullity (frequently called an annulment) of the previous marriage.

        The Catholic Church views all true marriages with respect. It presumes that they are valid. Thus, it considers the marriage of two Protestant, Jewish or even non-believing persons, any of whom marry according to their own tradition, to be binding in the eyes of God. Consequently, a tribunal process is required to establish that an essential ingredient in the relationship was missing from the start of the previous marriage.

        For Catholics with a prior marriage outside the Church, the declaration of nullity is based on what is called a “lack of canonical form.” For Catholics with a prior “valid” marriage, the tribunal process is termed a “formal case.” Catholics should consult with their pastor if a declaration of nullity is needed.

        Three Things that Make Marriage Valid in the Church
        Three things need to be in place for a true (valid) marriage: capacity, consent, and canonical form. A valid Catholic marriage comes into existence when a man and woman who are capable, give consent to a true marriage, including all the essential properties of marriage, and exchange this consent in the proper form for Catholic weddings.

        Convalidation is not simply a “blessing” of an existing union. It requires that a new, free act of consent be made.

        Capacity

        • Psychological capacity (emotional maturity and stability)
        • Physical capacity
        • Freedom from impediments (e.g. a prior marriage, vows in a religious order, etc.)

        Consent

        • To a lifelong marriage
        • To an exclusive marriage
        • To a marriage that is open to children

        Canonical Form

        • To be married in the presence of a Catholic bishop, or a priest or deacon delegated by either the pastor or bishop, and two witnesses according to the Order of Celebrating Matrimony.

        NOTE: Special permission is required for Catholics to marry in a place other than their parish church.

        Ten Steps toward Convalidation:

        1. Contact your local parish for an appointment with your pastor or his delegate to discuss the situation and determine what must be done.
        2. Obtain a new copy of the baptismal certificate for the Catholic party (or parties). Make that request to the parish where the person was baptized. If the parish no longer exists or baptismal records are unavailable, contact the Chancery office of that Catholic diocese for assistance.
        3. Begin collecting the necessary paperwork for the Pre-Nuptial Investigation.
        4. Participate in formational sessions with a mentor couple, priest, or deacon in the parish to prepare you for sacramental marriage; take a Natural Family Planning Class (http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/marriage-and-family/natural-family-planning/find-an-nfp-class.cfm).
        5. If there is a prior marriage for either party, seek a Church declaration of nullity.
        6. As part of your formational sessions, you may be asked to complete a premarital inventory to identify strengths and areas for growth in the relationship.
        7. If married civilly two years or less, attend a parish or diocesan marriage preparation program (some examples listed here); if previously married, discuss with the priest or his delegate options for specialized preparation.
        8. If married more than two years it is highly recommended that you attend a marriage enrichment weekend or event (some examples listed here).
        9. Determine the date and most suitable type of ceremony. For two Catholics, a nuptial Mass is suggested so that the first meal shared by the couple is the Eucharist, the source and summit of our faith. Plan a joyful get-together that will follow the liturgical service to celebrate the Church’s recognition of your marriage.
        10. Celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation and become actively involved together in your parish community.

        Copyright © 2016, Diocese of Trenton. All rights reserved. Altered and used with permission. To order copies of this information in pamphlet form, visit http://www.dioceseoftrenton.org/convalidation


        MARRIAGE CONVALIDATION
        Anyone seeking or have questions regarding Marriage Convalidation, please contact the parish office. The first step will be to set up an appointment with Father Aro.


        Other resources:
        https://www.detroitcatholic.com/voices/what-is-a-marriage-convalidation-in-the-catholic-church-heres-what-you-need-to-know

    • Links of Interest

      • The Sacrament of Matrimony, CCC 1601-1666
      • USCCB United in Love, Strengthened for Service
      • USCCB Matrimony (resources)
      • NFP: Natural Family Planning
      • Marriage Support
      • Retrouvaille A Lifeline for Marriages
    • Welcome
    • Parish and Local Events
    • About Us
      • Who We Are
        • Our Staff
        • Contact us
      • Our Parish
        • Our Patron, St. Ephrem
        • Our Parish History
        • Archdiocese of Detroit information
        • Join
    • Families of Parishes
        • Families of Parishes
    • Sacraments
        • Baptism
        • Reconciliation
        • Eucharist
        • Confirmation
        • Matrimony
        • Holy Orders
        • Eucharistic Adoration
    • Religious Education
      • Religious Education
        • Religious Education
      • Special Needs
        • Students with Special Needs
        • Safe Environment
    • Becoming Catholic
        • Becoming Catholic
    • Get Involved
      • Serve
        • Altar Servers
        • Eucharistic Ministers of Holy Communion
        • Lectors
        • Music Ministry
        • Ushers
      • Parish Ministries
        • Extraordinary Ministers to the Sick
        • SMILE - Mother's group
        • Coffee and Donuts
      • Outreach
        • Food Pantry
        • Rosary Makers and Sewing Ministry
        • St Vincent de Paul
        • Support Groups
        • Knights of Columbus
    • The Latest
        • Bulletin
    • Donate
        • Online Giving FAQs
        • Catholic Services Appeal (CSA)
        • Fundraising
        • Stewardship

    St Ephrem Catholic Church, 38900 Dodge Park Road, Sterling Heights, MI 48312

    Parish Office Hours: M&TH: 9:00am-3:00pm T&W: 9:00am-5:00pm and Fri: 9:00am-Noon (Closed Saturday and Sunday) 

    Phone 586-264-1230     E-Mail [email protected]     Fax 586-264-2757

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