Marriage

St. Cecilia Church is noted for its beauty and many couples request to have their wedding celebrated here.  Of course, any registered member of the parish has the right to have their wedding celebrated in their parish church.

Non-registered couples who wish to be married at St. Cecilia Church must be registered members of the parish where they live and must obtain written permission from their proper pastor to be married outside of their parish.  We are happy to accommodate non-parishioners when we can.

In either case, you must begin marriage preparation one year before the wedding date and before you sign a contract with a reception site. Marriage preparation includes interviews with the celebrating priest, the FOCCUS test, and participation in a marriage prep seminar endorsed by the Diocese of Worcester.

Sometimes young couples getting married do not feel or understand the benefits of entering into marriage by asking for God's grace in their commitment to each other.  They do not realize that marriages involving baptized Catholics that take place outside of the church without the church's permission are not considered valid or sacramental.

If that is you then the good news is that it is never too late to ask for God's grace in your relationship.  Couples who are interested in being married in the church should contact one of our priests who will be happy to guide you through the steps needed to help you enter into a sacramental marriage. 

To learn more about the "convalidation" process please check out this link: https://www.foryourmarriage.org/convalidation-bringing-your-marriage-into-the-church/