"The matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life, is by its nature ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring; this covenant between baptized persons has been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a sacrament."

Catechism of the Catholic Church: 1601

THE REQUIREMENTS OF CIVIL LAW IN RELATION TO MARRIAGE
(Republic of Ireland)

(For distribution to couples seeking to marry in the Catholic Church within the Co. Louth part of the Archdiocese of Armagh)

I. A couple planning to marry in the Catholic Church, should first check the availability of the Church*, where they hope to marry, with the parish priest of the parish where the Church is situated. They should then identify a priest who is willing to conduct the marriage. This priest (or deacon), if not one of the clergy of the parish where the marriage is to take place, must have the permission of the Parish Priest of that Parish in order to conduct the marriage ceremony. There are also important implications with regard to the registration of the visiting priest with the General Register Office as a solemniser for the ceremony (see no. 3 below).

2. Only when an approved venue and a priest willing to conduct the marriage have been secured should the couple approach any registrar's office (contact details for registrars' offices in Co. Louth are included below), at least three months before the date of the marriage to make an appointment to give notification of marriage in person. Both parties to the marriage must attend and bring a form of identification. Other documentation may be required. If all is in order, the 'marriage registration form, MRF' (the form to be signed on the day of the marriage), will be issued to the parties there and then ...

3. The priest who has been asked to officiate at the marriage (referred to as the solemniser in the civil legislation), must be registered on a list of solemnisers with the General Register Office in Roscommon. All priests of this diocese (both North and South) and religious priests working in the diocese, and priests in religious houses who have been nominated by their superiors, have been registered as permanent civil solemnisers with the General Register Office. Priests not working within the Republic of Ireland, who are not priests of this diocese or a diocese with territory within the Republic, are most likely not registered as civil solemnisers.

If the priest who has been asked to officiate at the marriage is not registered as a solemniser, the couple should contact a priest of the parish where the marriage is to take place, so that temporary registration for the visiting priest may be sought from the General Register Office, through the diocesan office.

4. At least three days prior to the wedding, the marriage registration form (MRF) should be brought to the clergy of the parish where the marriage is to take place.

5. The new civil legislation provides that, not more than two days before the wedding ceremony, the parties to marriage must make a verbal 'declaration of no civil impediment', in the presence of the two witnesses and the . solemniser. For~mariages in  the Catholic Church, it has been decided that this declaration is to be made at the very beginning of the ceremony, when the bride and groom assemble together. The text of this declaration, which can be obtained from parishes, may be included in a wedding booklet. Care should be taken in the placing of the text.

6. After the marriage ceremony, and when the marriage registration form (MRF), or form 'A' (for those marriages notified to the registrar's office before 5th November 2007), has been signed by both parties, two witnesses and the solemniser, the MRF or form 'A', will be given to the couple. It is the responsibility of the parties to the marriage to ensure that the MRF / form 'A' is submitted to any registrar's office within one month of the marriage ceremony. The couple will be asked to sign a form acknowledging both that they are in possession of the MRF / form 'A' and also that both parties to the marriage made a verbal declaration of no civil impediment.

This information sets out briefly the main features of civil marriage law in the Republic of Ireland for parties seeking to marry in the Catholic Church. It does not, however, purport to be an exhaustive summary of the civil law in this area. Any enquiries about legal requirements and related matters should be taken up with the Local Registrar or the General Register Office.

*NB Marriages may take place only in parish churches and preferably the parish church of one or other of the couple.

Dundalk: Civil Registration Office, Community Care Centre, Dublin Road, Dundalk. Tel. 042 9385447
Drogheda: Civil Registration Office, Haymarket Health Centre, Southbank, John Street, Drogheda. Tel. 041 9838605