Marriage

Home > Sacraments > Marriage

Planning to get Married? Congratulations!

We rejoice with you! We hope you will use this special time to deepen your relationship. A wedding is only for a day; a marriage is for a lifetime. Some people wish to marry at St. Dominic's; others wish to be married elsewhere. Some mixed-religion couples wish to be married by a minister or rabbi, but want their marriage recognized by the Church. Whatever your circumstances, we wish to assist.

Can anyone prepare for marriage at St. Dominic's?

Sorry, we can’t prepare everyone, but we can help those who are:

• Already registered parishioners (at least one year) or someone who lives within the parish boundaries;
• An associate member who has the permission of your own pastor;
• Someone who has a special circumstance. Please write a letter explaining your circumstances to the Pastor, Fr. Michael Hurley, and secure at a later date the permission of your own pastor.

How long does it take?

The Archdiocese of San Francisco requires a six-month preparation period.

What if we plan to get married at another parish?

We will prepare your required paperwork here and send it to the parish where you will be married. A total fee of $500 covers all of the classes required for preparation.

If you are not a parishioner or an associate member, please contact the pastor, Fr. Michael Hurley, O.P.,  to explain your special circumstances.

WHAT STEPS ARE REQUIRED?

1. Contact us to register for Marriage Preparation

To begin the process or have your questions answered, please call Mrs. Lolita Clemenson at (415) 567-7824 Ext. 103 to request a wedding packet. If you are not a parishioner or an associate member, please write a letter directly to the pastor to explain your special circumstances. In order to serve you,  Lolita will have to ask whether either one of you has been married, even in a civil ceremony. (If previously married and the former spouse is alive, we need to secure an annulment. Sorry, no wedding date can be set until both parties are free to marry; the timing will vary depending on the case.) Once you have the wedding packet, please return the parishioner data form and date request with a deposit ($250) in order to begin.

2. Attend Introductory Marriage Classes (2)

Second Tuesdays (Aquinas Room), & Second Wednesdays (Siena Room), 7:30 p.m. The first class both explains the process and provides an introduction to marriage; the second class is a pizza dinner and discussion on "Alive Marriages." The classes are offered to the couples on consecutive Tuesday and Wednesday nights at 7:30 p.m.  Reservations are required.  Contact Katharine and Dino Ornido via email: ornido@stdominics.org to reserve your spot.  Due to COVID-19, these classes are being offered on Zoom.

3. Attend an Introduction to Natural Family Planning 

Third Tuesdays (Aquinas Room) 7:30 p.m. 
Couple to Couple League Certified Volunteer Couples offer an overview of what NFP is and its importance in Christian marriage. Reservations are required. Please contact Pat and Bill Turrentine by email: pat@t-tine.com to reserve a spot. (A full course of 3 classes to learn the method of NFP is also offered. More information with dates and fees for this course can be found at www.ccli.org.) 

4. Take FOCCUS online and meet with our Marriage & Family Therapist

This is a wonderful opportunity for you as a couple to learn each other’s ideas about the different aspects that make a good marriage, and to identify those areas that still need to be discussed. It is not intended to assess compatibility or determine your marriage success.

5. Meet with the Friar three times

These meetings will explore the spirituality of the marriage, deepening your relationship, handling conflict and improving your communication.

6. Complete the following online program.

In addition to both classes at St. Dominic's, complete the following online Marriage Preparation class.  This is a requirement of the Archdiocese of San Francisco.

• Catholic Marriage Prep.com 
• Engaged Encounter Retreat

7. Plan Wedding Ceremony

If you are marrying at St. Dominic’s, attend a Wedding Music Seminar and meet with our Wedding Coordinator.

8. Turn in Paperwork

See sidebar