WEDDINGS AT OUR LADY OF VICTORIES CHURCH

Welcome to Our Lady of Victories Parish, Horsley Park. Thank you for considering to celebrate your wedding in our church. You are very welcome, however, we do ask that you please respect our prayer space as this is the place where the Catholic community of Horsley Park Worships.

SACRAMENTAL LIFE

In the course of our life, there are moments which are celebrated with special emphasis and care. These moments are called Sacraments and are celebrated with the faith community. In baptism, confirmation and eucharist, we are born through water and the Holy Spirit into God's household. When our relationship within and outside the household of faith are tangled or even severed, these ties are restored through the Sacrament of reconciliation. Some are called to minister to the community and are ordained for service as deacons, priests or bishops. When one of us falls ill, we gather around the sick with prayer and anointing. And when a man and a women fall in love and make their commitment before God and the church, we gather with them in moments of joyful promise as they become ministers of the sacrament of marriage to one another.

SPIRITUAL PRERARATION:

Sunday eucharist before marriage.

All sacraments point towards the eucharist. Here is the very life-blood of our Christian Life. Our whole tradition has upheld the weekly community celebration together as church, as the minimum necessary to maintain and to nourish the life of the Spirit within us. If we have been somewhat neglectful in this regard until now, the marriage engagement period is an excellent time to have a change of heart and to begin afresh our weekly participation in the Sunday eucharist. By your participation in the Sunday eucharist, you show that you are part of the catholic community and desire to celebrate a catholic wedding and form a catholic family.

This is also a good opportunity for you to participate in the sacrament of reconciliation, and receive the healing touch of Christ in your life, while preparing for the sacrament of marriage. Reconciliation times in our church are on Mondayand Wednesday to Friday between 8.30am and 9.00am and Saturday between between 5.00 pm and 5.45 p.m.

MARRIAGE PREPARATION COURSE

CONFIRMATION OF TENTATIVE BOOKINGS

Within a month of booking the Church, you are required to send the duly completed and signed Booking Form together with the full payment of $1,200. (which includes a $500 bond). Your booking is AUTOMATICALLY CANCELLED if your form and payment are not returned within the required time. The bond will be refunded after the ceremony if all the conditions in these guidelines have been respected. All or part of the bond money will be withheld if any part of these guidelines is not respected or in the case of any disrespectful behaviour. Details on the procedure for return of bond money is outlined on page 4.

CHURCH OFFERING

In accordance with legislation and ATO rulings, there is no GST payable for a religious service. We do, however, ask for a contribution of $700.00, payable upon confirmation of booking, together with the $500.00 bond. The church offering covers the cost of church flowers and general running and maintenance costs.

All cheques are to be made payable to Our Lady of Victories Parish. Credit card facilities are also available.

PUNCTUALITY

The times for weddings are: Saturdays 11.30 am, 1.30 pm, and 3.30 pm; Sundays at 1.30 pm and 3.30
The bride must be on time on the wedding day. Arriving late inconveniences many people. Punctuality is of utmost importance.
The tradition of the bride being late is not allowed. If wedding party and guests do not leave the church premises at least 15 minutes before the next wedding is due, the couple will lose all or part of their bond money.

Please inform your celebrant, guests and photographers that you have to abide by the following schedule:

THE CELEBRANT AT THE WEDDING:

It is the responsibility of the couple to book the celebrant and to organise a meeting with him six months before their wedding. Any Catholic priest or deacon can celebrate weddings at Horsley Park church. If you do not have your own celebrant, you may wish to contact any of the following celebrants. With the celebrant the couple will decide whether they are to have a nuptial Mass or a wedding service.

Fr Alberic Jacovone (Arcadia) 0414 337 757, Fr Anthony Casamento 0421 581 880, Fr Dominik Karnas 9620 1242.

For a wedding service: Fr (Deacon) Paul Naggar 0419 203 713.

Celebrants are usually paid $300 for the wedding ceremony payable to your celebrant one month before the wedding.

WEDDING REHEARSALS

If you require the use of the church for a rehearsal prior to your wedding you can arrange this by ringing the parish secretary during office hours: Tuesday to Friday, 9.30 am to 2.30 pm. Due to other church commitments, each wedding rehearsal will be limited to thirty minutes only.

PLEASE PRODUCE THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS WHEN YOU MEET YOUR CELEBRANT

• BIRTH CERTIFICATE OR FOREIGN PASSPORT
  The law requires Australian born persons to present an original birth certificate.
• BAPTISM CERTIFICATE
  A recently issued certificate is required in the case of all baptised persons. This can be obtained by contacting the church where the baptism took place. It is normal procedure to ask for a recently issued baptism certificate for marriage purposes.
• CONFIRMATION
  You need to know the date and place of Confirmation
• PRE-NUPTIAL INQUIRY AND NOTICE OF INTENDED MARRIAGE
  Please organise a meeting with your celebrant to fill in these papers at least three months before the wedding. Birth, baptism and any other certificates need to be presented at this time.

THE FOLLOWING NEED TO BE DISCUSSED WITH YOUR CELEBRANT

PREVIOUS MARRIAGES

If either party has been through any form of marriage before, no matter where or when, it is very important to discuss this with your celebrant before making a firm booking. In these cases the death certificate of the previous spouse, a certificate of annulment of the previous marriage and divorce papers have to be supplied.

MIXED MARRIAGES

At least one party has to be Catholic for the church to be used for a wedding. When one partner is not a Catholic, the Catholic party will be asked to sign and answer the question, "Do you sincerely promise to do all in your power to share your faith with your children by having them baptised and brought up in the Catholic Church?" The marriage ceremony is the same in all cases.

TEXTS FOR THE MARRIAGE CEREMONY

NUPTIAL MASS / WEDDING SERVICE

If a nuptial mass is to be celebrated, the celebrant decides whether the bridal couple should receive both the Body and the Blood of Christ. On the occasion of a marriage of mixed religion or non-practising Catholics, a service is usually preferred. The decision, however, is to be made in consultation with the celebrant. Due consideration is to be given to the feelings of the non-Catholic party.

READERS

The couples are encouraged to ask an adults to proclaim the Scripture readings. The readers need to be able to proclaim the reading clearly and intelligibly.

CHOOSING YOUR WEDDING MUSIC:

Music in a Christian Wedding Service.

Music is a servant in worship. It is never to be done for its own sake within a celebration of Christian worship. Music chosen for your wedding should be chosen to suit the different parts of the whole celebration. The text of sung pieces should always respect the particular emphasis of the action and gesture being celebrated. "Performance" type music must be carefully avoided. There is room for solo pieces and/or choir pieces for folk type music, as well as for more classical music. Good taste and dignity will determine what is sung, by whom, when and how. These should be discussed with the celebrant.

These guidelines are suggestions based upon an understanding of the reality being celebrated. Popular music from Broadway musicals or from pop movies is not allowed during the celebration. Should you particularly wish to play a secular / modern song, the most appropriate time would be at the signing of the register. As a matter of courtesy, please discuss your choice with your celebrant. The parish musicians may help you to choose the music for your wedding. It is the . bridal couple's responsibility to organise the musicians. You can find a list of musicians in the accompanying literature. Costs and payment arrangements are to be discussed directly with the musicians chosen.

PHOTOGRAPHS

Photographs may be taken before the celebration. Professional photographers are permitted to take pictures during the celebration provided they do not become a distraction. This norm helps to preserve the true reverence for the celebration. Videos are permitted. Please request the photographer or videographer to introduce themselves to the celebrant prior to the celebration. If the above times are not stricly adhered to NO PHOTOS will be permitted after the wedding ceremony.

DECORATION OF THE CHURCH

Our parish church is freshly decorated with flowers every weekend. The ONLY OTHER decorations permitted in our church are PEW DECORATIONS. If required, they are to be provided by the wedding couple. Pew decorations are understood as being a length of material secured to the pew end. The material must be kept clear from the floor and not limit access in and out of the seats. If a spray of flowers is used, this must not be higher than 15 cm from the pew end and must be secured to the pew. Free standing pots, arrangements, candelabras etc., are not permitted.

PLEASE NOTE:

NO THUMB TACKS, BLUE TAC OR STICKY TAPE OF ANY KIND IS TO BE USED ON THE PEWS, CHAIRS OR CHURCH FURNITURE. NO DECORATIONS PERMITTED ON CANDLE-STANDS, ALTAR OR AMBO. YOU NEED TO ENSURE THAT YOU ARRANGE FOR SOMEONE TO REMOVE PEW DECORATIONS AND BOOKLETS FROM THE PEWS IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE WEDDING.

CONFETTI, BUBBLES AND CANDLES

The church and the grounds are cleaned in preparation for weekend services and weddings. You are therefore advised that FLOWER PETALS, CONFETTI OR RICE ARE NOT PERMITTED either inside or outside the church. USE OF CANDLES AS DECORATIONS IS PROHIBITED. Past experience has shown that soap water used for bubbles causes damage to the carpet and the pews, BUBBLE BOTTLES SHOULD BE KEPT OUTSIDE THE CHURCH

VEHICLES

CANCELLATIONS OF WEDDINGS

If you decide to cancel you booking, please notify the celebrant, the church and musicians, in writing, as soon as possible. Others may be anxious to make use of the time you have reserved.

RETURN OF BOND MONEY

After the wedding please apply in writing to the Parish secretary for the return of your bond, giving all necessary details as to whom the cheque should be addressed. Bond money will be withheld if any part of these guidelines is not respected or in the case of any disrespectful behaviour. In these cases the decision of the Parish Priest is final.

BAPTISM OF CHILDREN

PLEASE NOTE CAREFULLY: Celebrating a wedding in our church does not give you the right to bapise your children in this church. Children should be baptised in the parish to which the family belongs. Normally this is the parish where the family lives, or the parish where the family attends regularly.