The Sacrament of Matrimony is a sign of the union of Christ and the Church. It grants the spouses the grace to love each other with the love with which Christ loved His Church; the grace of the Sacrament thus perfects the spouses’ human love. It solidifies their unity, makes it indissoluble, and sanctifies them on the path to eternal life.” – Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1661.
Since matrimony is a sacrament, it should ideally be celebrated in its most appropriate context: the community of origin or welcome. The bride and groom should celebrate their marriage in one of their parishes of origin or in the parish where they intend to reside.
Depending on each couple’s Christian (sacramental) experience, they should also consider the opportunity to celebrate the marriage with or without Mass.
Ideally, the celebration of Matrimony makes sense to occur in the Christian community where the couple intends to start a family, with Mass – a symbol of the nuptial covenant and open to the entire Christian community that has accompanied the growth of the spouses, as marriage is a step in life’s maturity and a vocational response.
With this in mind, before beginning the request and process of marriage in the Santuário do Sagrado Coração de Jesus, we suggest reflection.
To schedule and celebrate the wedding at the Santuário do Sagrado Coração de Jesus – the following should be taken into account:
Sunday, or solemn days, is the day par excellence, due to the strong relationship between the Union of Matrimony and the Paschal Mystery. However, considering the social and cultural context, it is common to celebrate marriage on Saturday, or on other days of the week. Throughout the year there are some dates when it is not possible to schedule a wedding: Good Friday, Holy Saturday, the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and the Diocesan Pilgrimage. It is also inadvisable during Lent.
Sunday: 12:30 PM Monday to Saturday: 11:00 AM or 1:00 PM
Religious Process organized in the parish of residence of one of the fiancés; Marriage Certificate from the Civil Registry Office; Identification of Witnesses (Godparents); License from the Diocesan Curia;
In the case of residence abroad, there are additional and specific documents for each country.
Parishes of residence: (variable) Parish of Santa Maria Maior – Sé: 50€ Diocesan Curia: 75€ Santuário do Sagrado Coração de Jesus: 300€
Baptism is the first sacrament of Christian initiation, continued and complemented by Confirmation and the Eucharist.
Everyone who is baptized becomes a new creature, a Child of God, and a member of the Church, the Temple of the Holy Spirit, called to follow and imitate Jesus Christ.
Parents are entrusted with the responsibility of educating the child in the faith so that they love God and their neighbor in the example of Christ.
Godparents, by their clear example of life according to the Christian faith, have the task of assisting the parents in this educational mission.
The Christian community is the space where the child’s faith experience will develop and mature, hence its essential importance.
With this in mind, we suggest – before starting the request and baptism process at the Santuário do Sagrado Coração de Jesus – to reflect:
They should favor the Celebration of Baptism in the community environment (Eucharist) of the parish of origin (or where they intend to attend catechesis); The choice of godparents should be in accordance with what is established by the Church – committed Christians with a clear example of life; The parents and godparents publicly commit to the child’s Christian education; Baptism is just the first sacrament of Christian initiation.
Process:
To schedule and celebrate baptism at the Santuário do Sagrado Coração de Jesus, the following should be taken into account:
Easter Sundays Remaining Sundays of the year and festive days Throughout the year, there are some dates when it is not possible to schedule a baptism: during Holy Week, the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and the Diocesan Pilgrimage. It is also inadvisable during Lent.
Sundays and Solemnities: 11:00 AM and 4:00 PM; Monday and Saturday: 4:00 PM.
Authorization from the parish of residence; License from the Diocesan Curia; Suitability Certificates of the Godparents; Photocopy of the Birth Certificate;
Parishes of residence: (variable) Parish of Santa Maria Maior – Sé: 35€ Diocesan Curia: 40€ Santuário do Sagrado Coração de Jesus: 75 euros
Theological Formation – on the 2nd Saturday of each month, at the Diocesan Seminary, a training meeting is held for all parents and godparents of children to be baptized in the coming weeks. They should choose the most convenient date; Celebrative Formation – in the days leading up to the baptism celebration, the parents and godparents should meet with the priest who will preside over the celebration to prepare all the details of the baptism
Whenever a group, visiting the Santuário do Sagrado Coração de Jesus, wishes to celebrate the Eucharist or hold a prayer session in the sacred spaces, they must request a booking and adhere to the guidelines of the Confraternity. For this, the scheduling and confirmation of the date and time should be made with the Rector.
Throughout the year, various moments of reflection, recollection, and retreats will be proposed. In due course, the activities will be announced.
The training initiatives, in various areas, will be announced in due course.