Each of the seven sacraments is an outward sign of an inward grace.
(EPHESIANS 5:31-32)
When a couple marries, not only those present at the wedding but also the wider community rejoices and benefits. Marriage is a foundational institution within both civil society and the Church, so both take interest and rightly insist that it be accom- plished properly.
Civil requirements in Louisiana for marriage are fairly minimal. A couple must obtain a license to marry from the Clerk of Court of a civil Parish, and then profess their vows before someone authorized to officiate at weddings in the State.
The Catholic Church demands more, of course. She understands that marriage is and can only be the union of one man and one woman. And since Jesus Christ Himself identified marriage as absolutely permanent and faithful (see Mk 10:9), the Christian community must do everything it can to help spouses achieve this.
For this reason the Church helps persons seeking marriage to prepare for it. This aids them to make a good decision to commit themselves totally. Already in 1978, the Catholic Bishops of Louisiana established a common “Marriage Preparation Policy: it was refined and updated both in 1988 and 2008. It can be accessed at www.diobr.org/diocesan-marriage-documents both in summary form and in its com- plete text.
Its highlights are:
Church marriage preparation must begin at least six months before the anti- cipated date of the wedding. The parish priest or deacon who officiates at the wedding normally has primary responsibility for conducting this preparation process, which includes preparation sessions with him as well as other ses- sions organized by married laypersons.
Special circumstances (such as marriages involving minors, extramarital preg- nancy, parental disapproval, psychological and problematic behavioral issues, etc.), will necessitate additional evaluation by a diocesan counselor.
A priest or deacon may refuse to witness a wedding for various reasons, such as non-practice of the faith, lack of appreciation for the spiritual aspects of marriage, perceived lack of readiness, refusal to participate in required mar- riage preparation programs, etc. Yet in so doing he will explain how the cou- ple may overcome the specific circumstances that caused the problem.
In cases of delay or refusal to witness the marriage, appeal may be made to the Bishop directly or through the Dean. No other priest or deacon may offici- ate at a wedding which another cleric has delayed or refused to witness with- out permission.
If a couple attempts marriage contrary to the laws of the Church, a validation is permitted only after the couple has completed the above requirements and a period of six months has elapsed since their wedding “outside the Church.”
At Saint Joseph Cathedral, all of these Statewide policies are in effect. Additionally, the pastor of the Cathedral Parish has established other policies and regulations, which are detailed on the following pages. These policies, of course, may be modi- fied in whole or in part at his discretion.
A request to schedule a wedding and reserve the Parish’s Church and other facilities must be made in person at the Cathedral office; reservation requests are not taken by telephone, fax or email.
No reservation will be accepted until the proposed officiant contacts the Parish Office and affirms that he will officiate and assume responsibility for all pre-marital preparations. Thus, a couple who wishes to schedule a wedding at Saint Joseph Ca- thedral should first approach a Catholic priest or deacon, to ensure that he will pro- vide the necessary premarital preparation and then officiate. Catholics who are not parishioners of the Cathedral Parish should approach their own pastor, for his per- mission is needed. He or one of the other clergymen assigned to their “home” Church Parish are the best persons to choose as officiant as well. The pastor and oth- er clergy assigned to Saint Joseph Cathedral ordinarily cannot provide this service to parishioners from elsewhere.
Engaged persons must provide the following to the Cathedral’s Parish Office at the time of the request to schedule a wedding:
A signed affidavit indicating they have read and agree to abide by all of the regu- lations governing weddings at Saint Joseph Cathedral.
Payment in full of the ordinary fee required. The current schedule of fees is part of this Policy, but note that these usual fees may change at any time. Please also note that a portion of the fee is non-refundable.
Diocesan canon law establishes that any Catholic domiciled in the Diocese of Ba- ton Rouge, all other norms of law being followed, has the right to marry at the Cathedral. Thus, strictly-speaking, if a Catholic bride nor groom is not an parish- ioner of the Cathedral, no permission that person’s own pastor is needed. Still, it is courteous to inform him, and to solicit from him a written attestation that the Catholic bride or groom from his Parish is a practicing Catholic. If not, any Catho- lic party is expected to register immediately in her/his Church Parish and begin an active life of faith.
Also, engaged persons in time must provide the following to the priest or deacon who will officiate at the proposed wedding. He will in turn provide this to the Cathe- dral’s Parish Office as part of the prenuptial file he creates.
A recently-issued certified copy (that is, with the Parish’s seal affixed) of the Catholic baptismal certificate for a Catholic.
A photocopy of any prior civil or church wedding certificate(s), divorce decree(s), or annulment(s) for any prior marriage, and death certificate(s) of any previous spouse.
Once the Cathedral reservation is made, the engaged couple must contact Ms. Belinda Smith, the Cathedral’s wedding coordinator (email Bsmithstjoseph3@gmail.com ), to set up an initial consultation regarding the ceremony. While a couple is always free to engage the services of a bridal consultant, the supervisory authority of the Cathedral’s pastor and wedding coordinator necessarily take precedence over all others and decisions shall always conform to their decision.
The fee for a wedding at Saint Joseph Cathedral is $800.00 for registered, active pa- rishioners, and $1,600.00 for others. Note that the status of registered and active parishioner must exist for a full year prior to the request to schedule the wedding. The fee, which includes rental of the church and adjoining preparation space, utili- ties, and maintenance, is payable in full at the time the reservation is requested. Ten percent of the fee paid is non-refundable. The fee is to be paid by check or money order, payable to “Saint Joseph Cathedral.” Additional fees may be imposed by the pastor as he deems necessary (e.g., for extraordinary maintenance or setup issues).
Music at Catholic worship is normative, and so required at weddings at Saint Joseph Cathedral. Please note that, however, the fees mentioned above do not include the required fees to musicians.
Couples must contract separately for the services of musicians – whether organists, vocalists, or other musicians – who also must be approved for ministry in the Cathe- dral by the pastor. This approval may include permission to play the Cathedral’s great gallery organ, “Providence.” The involvement of Mr. David Summers, the or- ganist and Director of Music at the Cathedral, is required, however: his fee as organ- ist is $300, although this is reduced to $150 if another organist is used instead. The Director of Music always must determine that another organist is competent and sufficiently trained. Please contact Mr. David Summers at dtsummers330@gmail.com or by phone at 225-278-6468.
Beyond an organist, requests for other or additional musicians (for example harp or violin instrumentalists, or string and brass ensembles, or choir or solo vocalists), are not infrequent. If a Mass is celebrated as part of the liturgy, a vocalist must serve as cantor. Ultimately, the Director of Music must approve of persons to fulfill these roles, based upon their musical skill and experience, and proper familiarity with Catholic liturgy.
No matter who provides the required musical assistance, the fee paid to the Cathe- dral is not reduced or paid to them, even in part. The couple must contract with and pay all of these musicians, including the Cathedral’s Director of Music, directly. We recommend that both the amount of others musicians’ requested fees – which are set by them, not by the Cathedral or other Church organization – and timing- schedule of payments to them be agreed-upon at the time of hire.
There is never any required fee for the priest or deacon who officiates at a wedding at Saint Joseph Cathedral. Should individuals or families wish to provide him, or oth- er attending ministers, servers, etc., with a personal gift, this must be paid directly. This being said, it is customary in the United States for the bride and groom to give a gift to the officiant on the occasion of the wedding, and it is very much appreciated.
No one is ever denied the services of the Church due to an inability to pay. Persons who due to poverty must have the simplest of weddings (that is, with the minimum two attendants, no flowers, no photography, no catering, no reception, etc.) will be accommodated as much as possible: such weddings typically will take place during the day, at or immediately following a regularly-scheduled Parish Mass.
Please download the wedding policies document below which includes all the information you will need to review. This includes local and pre-marriage preparation programs, facilities regulations, adjoining spaces, music requirements, decor and environment regulations, still and video photography and regulations, liturgy, processions, bridal attendants, and more.