Immaculate Conception

Immaculate Conception church

Sacramental Preparation

Baptism

Parents must be registered members of the Parish. There is a preparation class which parents must attend. Godparents are also invited to attend. Please contact Deacon Jim Wolfe at the parish office for more information regarding baptism.

Reconciliation

Preparation for the Sacrament of Reconciliation is a family-centered process for second graders which begins in the Fall and is normally celebrated in January or February.

First Eucharist

Preparing children to receive Eucharist for the first time is a family-centered process for second graders. First Eucharist is normally celebrated in May.

Confirmation

Confirmation preparation is open to all high school students (9th - 12th grades) who have taken at least one year of Middle School Religious Education. Confirmation classes are held on Monday evenings from 6:00 - 7:30. Included in the preparation program are a weekend retreat and a service project. Confirmation will be celebrated in the Fall of 2004.

R.C.I.C. - Rite of Christian Initiation of Children

Rite of Christian Initiation of Children introduces children ages seven and above to the Catholic faith and community with parish and family centered activities. the process begins in the Fall and concludes the following Easter with the celebration of the sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist).

R.C.I.A. - Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults

R.C.I.A. introduces adults to the Catholic faith and community. Intended for those who wish to investigate membership in the Roman Catholic Church. Ordinarily the process begins in the Fall and concludes with the sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist) celebrated at Easter.

Marriage

Please contact the parish office at least 9 months prior to the intended date of marriage. No wedding date is set until initial interview and pre-marriage inventory is complete. Couples seeking a Catholic wedding are expected be to living a Catholic-Christian lifestyle prior to wedding.

MARRIAGE PREPARATION
PROGRAM AND POLICIES

THE MARRIAGE PREPARATION PROCESS

    Welcome to the sometimes bewildering world of marriage preparation. For many couples planning marriage, there seem to be a lot of confusing elements to the preparation process, and being in the dark about these elements can add unnecessary tension to a period in your life that is already filled with anxiety.

    There are many decisions that have to be made, and we at Immaculate Conception want to help you through these pressures of preparation in a way that will best meet your needs. This information is intended to help you understand better the process of getting married in the Church and to answer some of the most commonly asked questions about marriage preparation. You will, no doubt, have questions even after reading this brochure, but these can be answered by Fr. Bob when you meet with him for the initial interview.

HOW DO WE BEGIN ?

            The first step is to contact the parish office at Immaculate Conception (303-665-5103) to make an appointment with Fr. Bob.    This initial contact must take place AT LEAST NINE MONTHS PRIOR to the expected date of marriage. This initial contact must be made by the bride-to-be or groom-to-be.

THE FIVE MAIN ELEMENTS OF MARRIAGE PREPARATION

(1) FOCCUS is an inventory of attitudes and ideas that each couple is asked to complete. This assists the couple and the counselor/priest to determine the levels of mutual understanding of the couple in some of the following areas:

Life style expectations               Religion and values
Personalities                              Parenting
Friends and Interests                  Sexuality
Personal Issues                  Extended Family
Communication                  Finances
Problem solving                          Marriage covenant
Interfaith marriage

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(2) COUPLES' WORKSHOP on "God's Plan for a Joy-Filled Marriage" given by the Archdiocese of Denver.
    This one-day couples workshop explains in a positive, contemporary way the timeless wisdom of Catholic teaching on God's plan for marriage and offers practical suggestions on how couples can implement it in their own lives.
    The morning session, Catholic Faith and Your Marriage, provides an overview of biblical teaching on marriage and explains the meaning and importance of the commitments made in the exchange of vows.     The afternoon session Sacramental Sexuality, draws from the scriptural foundation already laid to present the beauty and goodness of God's plan for sexual union, explaining the whats of Catholic teaching in a way that makes sense to woman and men today. Honest, positive discussion throughout the day aims to demonstrate the true joy of embracing God's plan for marital love.
    The workshops are held on Saturdays throughout the year, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, and the cost of the workshop is $75.00 per couple (includes lunch, workbooks and text book). More information is available in a brochure which can be obtained from either Fr. Bob when you have the initial meeting.

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(3) LIFE SKILLS FOR MARRIAGE is a series of evening sessions, lasting about two hours each, hosted by a married couple from the parish who have been trained in the marriage preparation program. These sessions look at various aspects of married life, augmented by the personal insights and experiences of the lead couples and allowing for discussion and feedback by the engaged couples attending.

An alternative to these evenings are weekend retreats for engaged couples, offered by several different groups. This alternative can be discussed at the initial meeting.

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(4) NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING: A series of four meetings, one month apart, are offered at various locations in the greater Denver/Boulder metro area to instruct couples in the process for practicing natural family planning. Natural Family Planning (NFP) is a method of observing the signs and symptoms of a woman's recurring fertility and infertility in order to act on this information to either avoid or achieve pregnancy. Learning how to observe and chart and interpret the various changes in the woman's monthly cycle can take three or four classes, including individual follow-up. But this method of planning helps the couple to develop a stronger, more loving and supportive sexual and spiritual relationship. It is an investment of time that will pay great physical, emotional and spiritual dividends.

(5) PERSONAL MEETINGS will be scheduled with the priest/deacon who will be witnessing your wedding. It is important that the priest/deacon get to know you, and this will also help the couple to be more at ease at the time of the rehearsal and wedding. If you are not getting married at Immaculate Conception, it will still be necessary to meet with Fr. Bob to take care of the pre-marriage documentation and permissions.

    There are forms that have to be filled out for the Church (cf. below) as well as planning the actual wedding ceremony, and the priest/deacon will help you through this as well.

    DOCUMENTS TO BE FILLED OUT

    If you are getting married at Immaculate Conception or outside the Archdiocese of Denver all of the pre-marriage documentation is handled here at Immaculate Conception.   If you are getting married at another parish within the Archdiocese of Denver, the documentation can be taken care of there. Basically the forms are simple and few.

    (1) Pre-nuptial testimony of both bride and groom.

    (2) Pre-nuptial testimony on behalf of bride and groom by parents or someone who has known them well for years.

    (3) In the case of a marriage between a Catholic and a non-Catholic, a permission or dispensation request is made which includes a promise made by the Catholic party as follows:
    I, N , reaffirm my faith in Jesus Christ, and, with God's help, intend to continue living that faith in the Catholic Church. At the same time, I acknowledge the respect I owe to the conscience of my partner in the marriage. "I promise to do all that I can to share that faith which I have received with our children by having them baptized and reared as Catholics."

Obviously, this is a matter which involves the cooperation of the non-Catholic spouse even though he/she does not have to make the promise.

    OTHER DOCUMENTS NEEDED

(1) Baptism records for Catholics and non-Catholic Christians. For Catholics the certificate has to be issued within six months of the date of the wedding. The priest/deacon can assist you in obtaining this record.

(2) Record of First Communion and Confirmation for Catholics. The record of Confirmation should be with the newly issued Baptism certificate. If not, it will have to be obtained separately. If the Catholic has not been confirmed, this should be discussed with the priest/deacon.

(3) A marriage license from the state in which you are being married must be obtained. If you are being       married in the state of Colorado, you can obtain a license from any county clerk's office in the state. Both parties must be present to get the license, and it is valid for 30 days from date of issuance. No medical tests are required in Colorado. Other states may have different requirements.

    SPECIAL SITUATIONS

(1) PREVIOUS MARRIAGE
    It may happen that one or both of the parties to be married have been married before. The Roman Catholic Church recognizes the validity of all marriages unless it can be shown that there were elements lacking in the previous marriage which would make it possible for the Church to declare that the previous bond is nullified. This applies to previous marriages of both Catholics and non-Catholics. No formal wedding preparations can be made until the previous marriage(s) are declared nullified by the Church.

2) PERMISSION TO BE MARRIED IN A PLACE OTHER THAN A CATHOLIC CHURCH
      The proper and appropriate place for the wedding is in a Catholic church. Permission is never given for two Catholics to be married in a place other than a Catholic church, or for a priest or deacon to witness the wedding of a Catholic and baptized non-Catholic in a place other than a Catholic church.   A dispensation to have the wedding in a church other than Catholic and by someone other than a Catholic priest or deacon can be obtained if significant circumstances warrant such a dispensation.

    Although dispensations and permissions were given more readily in the past, such is not the case now. Do not presume that you can be married anywhere you choose because the necessary dispensations or permissions will likely not be given. Outdoor weddings and weddings in hotels, restaurants and catering centers are inappropriate for the celebration of a Catholic wedding.

FR. BOB WILL NOT WITNESS MARRIAGES IN ANY PLACE
OTHER THAN A CHURCH.

(3) PERMISSION TO BE MARRIED BY SOMEONE OTHER THAN A CATHOLIC PRIEST/DEACON
Circumstances may arise in which it would be necessary for a Catholic and non-Catholic to be married in a place other than a Catholic church and by someone other than a priest or deacon. Special permission can be obtained for such circumstances so that the Catholic can remain in good standing in the Church.

Anointing of the sick

This healing sacrament is available for the sick, elderly, and shut-ins. Please notify the parish office if someone has become ill, hospitalized, or homebound.