The Sacrament of Marriage is one of the Sacraments of Service (along with Holy Orders). Marriage has been in existence since God created the first man and woman, Adam and Eve. When Jesus came and established the Church, He elevated this fundamental institution to the level of a Sacrament. A valid, sacramental marriage constitutes an indissoluble covenant bond between a man and a woman. "The grace of the sacrament ... perfects the human love of spouses, strengthens their indissoluble unity, and sanctifies them on the way to eternal life" (CCC 1661). To learn about Marriage Enrichment at St. Joseph, please click here.

"The parties to a marriage covenant are a baptized man and woman, free to contract marriage [meaning not bound to someone else in marriage], who freely express their consent" (CCC 1625). Only one party needs to be Catholic to be married in the Catholic Church. In certain circumstances, a non-baptized person may be married to a baptized person in the Catholic Church, with permission from the bishop.

Couples are required to go through marriage preparation in order to be married at St. Joseph, which is intended to help couples have a successful marriage. If you are interested in getting married at St. Joseph, please contact the parish office to setup a time to meet with a priest or deacon at least six months prior to the desired time of the wedding (319.377.4869). Learn more by downloading the "Frequently Asked Questions about Getting Married at St. Joseph" document below.

If you and/or your spouse are Catholic but were married outside of the Catholic Church, the marriage is not recognized as valid in the eyes of the Church. To have the marriage blessed and recognized by the Church, the first step is to meet with a priest or deacon. If you are interested in having your marriage blessed, please contact the Parish Office at 319.377.4869.

An annulment is granted by a Church tribunal (i.e. court) when, after much investigation, a marriage that was thought to be valid according to Church law is found to have fallen short of at least one essential requirement for a valid, binding marriage. An annulment does not invalidate a marriage, but declares that the marriage was not valid in the first place. An annulment is necessary for someone who was previously married and whose previous spouse is still living to be free to marry in the Catholic Church. To learn more about annulments, please click here.

The process of pursuing an annulment begins here at St. Joseph with meeting with a priest or deacon, who will provide more information and walk you through the process. To inquire about applying for an annulment, please call the Parish Office at 319.377.4869.