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Welcome! We are delighted that you are considering St. Robert Parish for your wedding. Your wedding ceremony is yours, and you will have much to say about what goes into it, but it is also an official celebration of the Roman Catholic Church. You are the ministers of the Sacrament of Marriage in which you promise each other lasting love and fidelity. From this date forward, you continue to minister this sacrament to each other. The priest or deacon on behalf of the whole Church witnesses and blesses your marital covenant. The Church is also present at your ceremony through your family and friends you have invited.
The preparation process follows the guidelines set forth in The Pastoral Guidelines for Marriage Preparation by the Wisconsin Catholic Bishops Conference and those set forth in the canons governing marriage that are contained in the Canon Law of the Roman Catholic Church.
Your wedding ceremony is not only special and sacred to the two of you, but it is also special and sacred to St. Robert Parish. It is to this end that we, St. Robert Parish, will work together with you in accomplishing this goal.
—Fr. Dennis Dirkx
Before selecting a hall for your reception, we highly recommend that you check with the parish secretary regarding the availability of the date you are considering. St. Robert Parish offers two time slots for weddings per weekend: 6:00 pm on Fridays and 2:00 pm on Saturdays. The church is reserved for two hours for each wedding, with one half hour before for set-up and one half hour afterwards for pictures, etc. Weddings are not scheduled during the liturgical seasons of Advent and Lent or on Sundays. Preparation for a wedding at St. Robert requires the time span of six months to one year. To make an initial contact, please call the parish office at (414) 332-1164.
What does the preparation include?
- The initial session, with either the Pastor (Fr. Dennis Dirkx), the Associate Pastor (Fr. Robert Kacalo) or the Pastoral Associate (Claire Anderson), involves the completion of the Pre-Nuptial Questionnaire and a detailed explanation of the preparation process.
- The couple must obtain recent copies of their baptismal certificates from the church of baptism as well as copies of the certificates of Confirmation. A recent copy of a baptismal certificate is one issued within the last six months.
- A mentor couple (called a “FOCCUS couple”) from the parish will schedule two or three meeting with the couple.
- The couple then schedules the Engaged Enrichment Day through the Milwaukee Archdiocese.
- Because of the spiritual nature of the sacrament of marriage, each engaged couple participates in a spirituality of marriage session with Fr. Dennis, Fr. Robert, or Claire Anderson.
- At a liturgy planning session, scheduled several times throughout the year, the details of the wedding liturgy are explained, and couples have a brief time to meet other engaged couples. Because of the intimate connection between the union of marriage and the bond of the Eucharist, Catholic parties (and Catholics marrying non-Catholic Christians) celebrate the Rite of Marriage within a Mass. Catholics marrying non-Christians celebrate the Rite of Marriage within the context of the Liturgy of the Word.
Wedding Selection Sheet within the context of a Mass Wedding Selection Sheet within the context of the Liturgy of the Word Wedding Music CD Playlist
- The wedding rehearsal is then scheduled for the evening before the wedding. The marriage license must be brought to the wedding rehearsal.
If this is the case, the couple should contact the pastor or pastoral associate two years prior to the intended wedding date.
Yes, a total of $400.00 is required when the date is secured on the parish calendar. Checks may be made payable to St. Robert Parish. This fee includes payment for the cantor and musician. One hundred dollars of this fee is non-refundable once the payment is received.
Each couple belongs to a broader community of family, friends, and church. Because of this, parish membership is required in order for your wedding liturgy to take place at St. Robert. If neither party is a parish member, a letter of permission from the pastor of your current parish must be obtained.
Please contact the pastor, Fr. Dennis, regarding individual circumstances.
This would not inhibit your marriage in any way. Particular circumstances should be discussed with the deacon or priest. St. Robert invites you to become Catholic. Please contact Donna Shriner, St. Robert’s Coordinator for the Rites of Christian Initiation of Adults, at (414) 332-1164, ext. 3045.
Catholics are encouraged to be confirmed before they are married, although a lack of the sacrament would not necessarily impede the wedding. Adults interested in being confirmed should contact Donna Shriner at (414) 332-1164, ext. 3045.
St. Robert Main Number: 414-332-1164
Rev. Dennis Dirkx, Pastor: ext. 3013 Rev. Robert Kacalo, Associate Pastor: ext. 3014
Claire Anderson, Pastoral Associate: ext. 3022 Matt May, Director of Liturgical Music: ext. 3043 Elizabeth Cleveland, Business Manager: ext. 3010
Mary Jorgensen (Parish Membership): ext. 3044
Donna Shriner (Adult Baptism and Confirmation): ext. 3045
