FAQ's
Who will preside at my wedding?
It is your responsibility to arrange for the person who will officiate at your wedding. Ordinarily a Roman
Catholic priest presides over the Sacrament of Marriage. Under certain circumstances a deacon or non-Catholic
minister may validly officiate at weddings in the Diocese of Rochester. For information about surrounding
dioceses' wedding guidelines, click here. Only a Catholic priest may celebrate marriage in the context of the
Mass.
Here are your three options:
1.You may arrange for the priest or deacon at the University of Rochester’s Catholic Newman Community
to officiate at your marriage. Before or soon after upon reserving the Chapel contact one of them. It
is his responsibility to determine your eligibility for the Sacrament and to handle all the necessary
diocesan-mandated paperwork, e.g. previous marriage, marriage between a Catholic and non-Catholic,
etc. As per diocesan regulations and parish policy an offering of $350 [payable to the Catholic Newman
Community at the University of Rochester at least one month prior to your marriage] is required for a
Newman priest/deacon-chaplain to officiate at your marriage and handle all preparations.
2.You may arrange for another Catholic priest or a deacon — perhaps a family friend or relative —
who is not assigned to the Catholic Newman Community to officiate at you marriage. Please do so
immediately upon reserving the Chapel. It is his responsibility to determine your eligibility for the
Sacrament and to handle all the necessary diocesan-mandated paperwork. Waiting too long to contact
a priest or deacon might result in their inability to preside at your marriage. Download these forms
(Request for Canonical Delegation and Letter to Officiant) and give to the priest or deacon at least nine
months before your marriage. The Director of the Catholic Newman Community will authorize him to
officiate after receiving your Diocesan fee of $150 [payable to the Catholic Newman Community] AND
when all the required paperwork has arrived at our office. Unless other arrangements are made, the fees
and paperwork must be in our office no later than one month prior to your marriage.
3. You may arrange for someone other than a Catholic priest or deacon to officiate. This option is reserved for
marriages between a Catholic and a non-Catholic. You must still contact one of the priest- deacon-chaplains
immediately after reserving a Chapel. He will be responsible for handling all the necessary diocesan-mandated
paperwork. The Director will authorize your selected minister to officiate after receiving your Diocesan fee of
$150 [payable to the Catholic Newman Community] AND when all the required paperwork has arrived at our
office.
What the Newman Community provides:
-Provides answers to questions you (or your clergy) may have during the preparation period.
-Permanent recording of all Catholic weddings.
-Assurance that Catholic priest/deacon receives canonical delegation as required
-Assistance with identifying a deacon/priest to officiate your preparation/ceremony.
-Provides any and all items for a Catholic wedding (including presider book, chalices, patens, hosts,
purificator, wine, white alter clothe, stole (priest), sacramentary, alter candle and crucifix). We do NOT
supply a unity candle.
ALL couples preparing for a Catholic wedding MUST contact the Newman Community as soon as
possible (regardless of who performs your wedding).
The Catholic Diocese of Rochester establishes a $150 fee for all Catholic weddings. This fee assures the
above record keeping and provides for supplies. For those requiring Newman staff to conduct marriage
interviews, preparations and preside at a ceremony, a $350 fee (which includes the above diocesan fee)
applies. These fees are independent of any and all fees charged by the University of Rochester for
renting the Interfaith Chapel.
Fee is payable to the ‘Catholic Newman Community’ and sent no later than one month prior to the
wedding date. This fee applies ALL couples marrying at the Interfaith Chapel or when the Director of
the Newman Community presides at another church/chapel.
Catholic persons may invite local Catholic parish/priest/deacon to perform your wedding and non-
Catholic ministers are always welcomed to participate.
Any Catholic priest/deacon also must contact the Director of the Newman Community as soon as
possible to receive delegation to perform a valid Catholic wedding here at the University.
The following requirements must be met for a valid Catholic wedding:
Premarital Investigation Form
What about music at my wedding?
The Sacrament of Marriage is a public liturgy of the Church. The music you select should be appropriate for
worship. Congregational singing of appropriate hymns and acclamations is always encouraged. You must make
your own arrangements for musicians. Please refer to the musicians' list provided by the Diocese of Rochester.
What do you mean by appropriate paperwork?
Here is the documentation required for weddings in the Diocese of Rochester:
•The Pre-Marriage Investigation Form which is completed and signed in the presence of the officiant.
•A Certificate of Completion of one standard marriage preparation program, e.g. Pre-Cana, Engaged
Encounter, etc.
•The completion of the F.O.C.C.U.S Inventory which is administered by the officiant or a designate. The
acronym stands for Facilitating Open Couple Communication, Understanding, and Study.
•A recently issued baptismal certificate for the Catholic party. This cannot be a photocopy of the
certificate found in your personal archives. A baptismal certificate is procured from the church of your
baptism. They are aware of this requirement. Simply phone them, make the request, and they will send a
copy to my attention to the Cornell Catholic Community. A baptismal certificate is also required of the
non-Catholic Christian party.
•Required permission (which comes from your local pastor in case one of the Catholic parties is not a
member at the Catholic Newman Community), dispensations, and/or decrees of annulment.
•The appropriate fees as mentioned above.
Is there any other paperwork?
You must obtain a New York State marriage license in person from any issuing office in New York State. It
must be obtained at least 24 hours in advance of the ceremony and is good for 60 days.
What if I have any other questions?
You are always welcome to call any of the chaplains for clarification of these guidelines or for any other
question that might arise as you prepare for the celebration of the Sacrament.
Pre-Cana/Engaged Encounter
Meetings with Clergy/Pastoral Staff
Dispensations from the Bishop (if required)
Letter of permission from home pastor (if required)
Delegation letter from the Director of the Catholic Newman Community
