Marriage

Mass Times

All times listed are in Central Time (CST)

 

Sunday

Main Church
7:00 AM
9:00 AM
11:00 AM
1:00 PM (Spanish)
6:00 PM

 

Monday

Our Lady of the Angels Chapel
9:00 AM

 

Tuesday

Our Lady of the Angels Chapel
9:00 AM
6:45PM

 

Wednesday

Main Church
6:00 AM
9:00 AM

 

Thursday

Our Lady of the Angels Chapel
9:00 AM
6:45 PM

 

Friday

Our Lady of the Angels Chapel
9:00 AM

 

Saturday

Our Lady of the Angels Chapel
10:00 AM Daily Mass

 

Main Church
5:00 PM Vigil

 

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MARRIAGE PREPRATION & WEDDING CELEBRATIONS

Congratulations on your decision to enter Holy Matrimony in the Catholic Church. We at St. Anthony of Padua welcome you and rejoice with you! The celebration you are planning and the lifelong commitment you are choosing to make are signs of God’s great love for us all. We are here to support you and guide you through your preparation.

 

*Please note: we are currently scheduling weddings for 2024. We are fully booked for 2023. 

 

The first step for preparing for your wedding is to fill out a Request for Marriage. We cannot discuss available ceremony dates or marriage preparation until this request is complete!

Katie Krall
Adult Faith Formation & Marriage Coordinator

kkrall@ap.church

MARRIAGE FAQS

1. When should I contact the Church? What days can I get married in the Church?

You should contact us 1 year in advance of your desired wedding date. Please secure your wedding date with us before securing your reception venue and vendors.

 

Weddings are held in the Our Lady of the Angels Chapel (seats 350) on the following days and times:

  • Saturdays at 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm
  • Tuesdays through Fridays at 3:00 pm (based on availability of chapel, clergy, and support staff)

 

Very small weddings may be held in the Adoration Chapel (seats 40) on:

  • Saturdays at 11:30 am

 

Other things to consider when choosing a wedding date and location:

  • No weddings may be scheduled on Sundays, Mondays, Holy Days of Obligation, or Archdiocesan holidays.
  • Weddings held during the liturgical seasons of Advent (the month preceding Christmas) and Lent (the 40 days preceding Easter) will reflect the nature of these more subdued seasons. Practically speaking, your floral and church decoration will be less elaborate, your music selections may be limited, and your choice of readings may be limited.
  • The Adoration Chapel does not have an organ or piano, so please plan accordingly.

2. What are the costs involved for a wedding and/or marriage preparation?

Church Reservation Fees (See Church Rental Policy)

 

  • A $100 deposit is required to reserve your wedding date
  • Wedding in the Our Lady of the Angels Chapel (Parishioner): $750
  • Wedding in the Our Lady of the Angels Chapel (Non-Parishioner): $1000
  • Wedding in the Adoration Chapel (Parishioner): $300
  • Wedding in the Adoration Chapel (Non-Parishioner): $500

 

Marriage Preparation Fees

  • Prepare/Enrich Online Assessment Fee: $35.00
  • Marriage Preparation Fee: $100.00 (for couples preparing at St. Anthony’s, but marrying elsewhere)

 

Other Costs

  • Presider: TBD by the couple. This is a gift of appreciation to the priest or deacon officiating your wedding.
  • Music & A/V Technician Fees: Varies. These depend on the type and number of musicians you will have at your wedding and the complexity of the A/V set up needed.
  • Altar Server: $25 (for Marriage within Mass)

3. How long does it take to prepare for marriage?

Marriage preparation takes at least 8 months to complete if you prepare for marriage and have your wedding ceremony at St. Anthony’s. If you plan to marry elsewhere, you must add 1-3 months to the timeline, depending on the location of your wedding. (Weddings held in another diocese, another state, or another country add to the time needed to process documents.)

 

There is no “expedited” timeline for marriage preparation. The process relies on a group of clergy, staff, and volunteers who are dedicated to giving you every tool necessary to build a holy, lasting marriage. Give yourself the gift of time to properly prepare for the rest of your life.

4. Can we have a priest come and marry us at our reception venue?

No. Catholic marriage is a sacrament and so it is celebrated within the context of a sanctuary. In exceptional cases, with grave reason, you could be granted special dispensation from the bishop to have your wedding in a church or oratory that is approved by the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. Approval for this request takes time and is rarely granted.

5. I am Catholic but my fiancé is not. Can we still get married in the Catholic Church?

Yes. This is called a “mixed marriage.” The Catholic will be asked to make the following declaration and promise:

  • “I reaffirm my faith in Jesus Christ and with God’s help I intend to continue living that faith in the Catholic Church.”
  • “I promise to do all in my power to share the faith I have received with our children by having them baptized and reared as Catholics.”

 

The non-Catholic must be informed of this declaration and promise. During your marriage preparation, we will help you complete the necessary documentation and obtain the dispensation required by the Archdiocese.

6. Can a Catholic priest, not from this parish, come and marry us?

Yes! You will need to confirm that the priest or deacon is available for your wedding date and assist with any travel or accommodations for him. Please have the priest or deacon contact the Marriage Preparation Coordinator so we can secure the proper delegation for him to preside at your marriage ceremony. The priest or deacon will also need to secure a Letter of Suitability from his Diocese or Superior.

7. Can I provide my own musician(s) at my wedding ceremony? Can I choose whatever music I like best?

With the approval of the Music Department, an outside musician will be able to participate. While we are open to relatives/friends serving as guest cantors/song leaders, we do have a few guidelines that accompany that privilege. A St. Anthony of Padua staff accompanist and cantor must be present. They will be responsible for singing the Proper & Ordinary parts of the liturgy (Gloria, Gospel Acclamation, Eucharistic Acclamations, etc.) and the Responsorial Psalm. This is done first and foremost ensure liturgical soundness, and to alleviate potential stress for guest musicians/singers. Guest singers are permitted to sing processional/recessional hymns, offertory hymns, communion hymns, or a Marian hymn (for presentation of flowers to Our Lady).

 

For your ceremony, we hope that you choose music that you like, while keeping in mind that your marriage ceremony is a sacred liturgy. As such, all music in the marriage ceremony is a prayer offered to God and must therefore be appropriate to the celebration and express the faith of the Church. We will provide you with guidelines to help you choose music that you love and that gives honor and glory to God.

8. I am divorced, re-married civilly and am now looking for the Catholic church to “Bless our Marriage.” Where do I start?

First, we must address your previous marriage. If your former spouse is still living, you will need to start the annulment process. Even if it was a civil marriage to a non-Catholic/Catholic, this marriage still needs an annulment. Please visit our Annulments page for more information.

 

If your former spouse is no longer living, or you have already received a decree of nullity, you can seek a Convalidation for your current civil marriage. A convalidation is more than having your marriage “blessed.” Please visit our Convalidation page for more information.

Convalidation

The Catholic Church believes that marriages entered into by non-Catholics in their particular church, or wherever they may take place, are valid. In the eyes of the Church, even two atheists or agnostics who are married civilly before a judge or magistrate enter into a valid marriage. Catholics, however, are bound to observe a certain form of marriage ritual in order that their marriage be valid. Canon law—the law of the Church—requires 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 other witnesses. Marriages in which one or both parties are Catholic and which are not witnessed by an authorized bishop, priest, or deacon, or which do not receive proper permission to take place in another forum, are considered invalid in the eyes of the Church.

 

Simply put, If the couple has entered into a civil marriage and if either spouse is Baptized Catholic and they were not married in the Catholic Church, then they would need a Convalidation, to validate their marriage in the eyes of the 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.

Katie Krall
Adult Faith Formation & Marriage Coordinator

kkrall@ap.church

WEDDING COORDINATORS

We need you! We are in need of volunteers to be Wedding Coordinators here at St. Anthony’s! About 2 weeks before the Wedding Day of a couple, the Wedding Coordinator contacts the Bride and Groom and goes over the details of their wedding ceremony. The Wedding Coordinator is responsible for running the wedding rehearsal the day before the wedding. Then on the big day, they are responsible for setting up the church, and assisting the musicians, florists, photographers, and families as they arrive for this special day and making them feel at ease as they await the ceremony to start. This is a great opportunity to be a welcoming face and a calming presence on their big day.

 

Wedding Coordinators must attend the training session and assist a veteran Wedding Coordinator at 2-3 weddings before becoming a Wedding Coordinator Lead. Once you become a Wedding Coordinator Lead, there is a stipend for every wedding you coordinate. A schedule of Weddings is provided to the Wedding Coordinators so they can sign up for the ones they are willing and able to coordinate.

 

Mary Batey, the Coordinator of Adult Formation and Sacraments, would provide you will the information about the couple that you need to know in order to run their rehearsals and the wedding ceremony.

 

If you are interested, please sign up for one of our upcoming training sessions.

 

Los coordinadores de bodas juegan un papel vital durante el ensayo de la boda, antes, y durante la ceremonia de la boda. Ellos son responsables de la creación de la iglesia antes de una boda, que incluye ayudar a las familias a medida que llegan para este día especial y hacer que se sientan cómodos mientras esperan el servicio para empezar. Póngase en contacto con nosotros si usted está interesado en ser un coordinador de bodas.

Katie Krall
Adult Faith Formation & Marriage Coordinator

kkrall@ap.church

Wedding Coordinator Trainings
Annulments

 

The ending of a marriage is a difficult experience, and divorce is one of life’s tragedies. Many marriages end in divorce in spite of good intentions and the establishment of a family. We are sensitive to the pain and stress that a failed marital relationship brings to those involved. We are here to assist those who want to know more and those who want to file a petition for an annulment.

 

Want to talk to someone about the process and learn more about what an annulment is? Contact

Mary Batey
Communications and Chapel Manager

832-482-4115

mbatey@ap.church

Information About Annulments

Types of Petition Forms

Please note…

There are different types of nullity petitions. To ensure that you do not complete an incorrect petition form, you must FIRST consult with a Case Sponsor at a Catholic parish. A Case Sponsor is a priest, deacon or lay person designated by the parish who determines what type of petition you must complete and assists you in the preparation of the petition. (There is no fee associated with obtaining a petition form or for the services of a Case Sponsor.) Contact us to get assigned a Case Sponsor. A petition will NOT be accepted without a Case Sponsor.

Formal Church Petition for a Declaration of Nullity Lack of Canonical Form Prior Bond (Ligamen) Petition Privilege of the Faith Petition