1. The couple who wishes to get married by the SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY in this parish of Jesus Maestro in our Diocese of Altagracia has to get in touch with THEIR OWN PARISH PRIEST to begin the Preparation for their Wedding early enough to be able to send their copies of documents TWO MONTHS before their wedding date. We only perform the CEREMONY here.


2. We suggest (it is not an obligation) that the couple be previously MARRIED BY THE LAW in their own country before getting married by the Catholic Church here in Dominican Republic.


3. The ceremony WOULD be performed in Spanish with instant translation if the priest who speaks English is not available at that moment (vacations, illness, congress or other). Normally it will be in English.


4. The Catholic Wedding documents we ask for, are the following:
   
   Very good photocopies in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French or Latin. The other languages as Polish, Russian, Greek, German or other languages unknown to us have to be translated in English or Spanish by any translator who knows well both languages. (We do not accept FAXES)
   
   • The CIVIL and CATHOLIC copies or documents DO NOT NEED TO BE LEGALIZED by the Dominican Consulate for a Catholic Wedding.
   • All the CIVIL and CATHOLIC documents and their copies have to be processed by the Parish of the couple.
   • Copy of the Civil Matrimony Certificate or a proof of their Legal Wedding from their country has to be sent. (This is the only exception: It can be sent by E-mail attachment, well identified with date and hotel name, one week before the Catholic Wedding)
   • Copies of the Birth Certificates of both.
   • The Affidavit of Single Status document is not necessary.
   • Copy of the ID page of their passport.
   • If the couple brings their priest, we need a letter of his Diocese.


5. Written on only one sheet:
   
   
   1. The names and addresses of their parents (maiden name)(no passport # needed);
   2. The names (no nicknames), passport numbers and address of only 2 witnesses for the ceremony. (For the Catholic Wedding the WITNESSES can be RELATIVES)
   3. The couples E-mail or of their Travel Agency. (Mandatory)
6. All the communications by E-mail or mail have to be well identified like this example: (Wedding May 8 Name of Hotel 3pm)


7. Copy of the Baptism Certificates (catholic or other denomination) with the other sacrament notes (in the case of the lack of the sacrament of Confirmation, a dispensation letter from their parish priest).


8. Copy of the parish Interview (also called Pre-marital Inquiry) by the priest or his delegate done in their Parish (with the dispensations). (No FOCUS document is needed).


9. Copy of the Pre-Cana or Course they have done. (Different from the Interview).


10. Copy of the letter sent by the priest of their Parish giving EXPLICIT PERMISSION to Rev. Jose Eusebio, Pastor of Jesus Maestro Parish where the ceremony will take place. (THIS LETTER IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE VALIDITY OF THE MATRIMONY).


11. Copy of a Nullity Certificate of a previous marriage by the Ecclesiastical Tribunal (as the case may be).


12. Copy of the Death Certificate of a deceased husband or wife of a previous catholic marriage.


13. ALL THE DOCUMENTS HAVE TO BE SCANNED AND JOINED IN ONLY ONE PDF DOCUMENT TO BE SENT TO ME BY ATTACHMENT AT THE FOLLOWING E-MAIL or THE COPIES MAY SENT BY UPS ONLY (the others companies do not give the full service in our region), IN THE FIRST OR SECOND WAY, TWO MONTHS BEFORE THE WEDDING.


14. The unique address to send your copies to, is:
    
    

    Padre Jean A. Lacaille, Archivista diocesano
    Obispado de la Altagracia
    Calle Vetilio Alfau (Libertad)
    Higuey, Republica Dominicana.
    Mobile Phone: 829 806 2675

16. The ceremony will NEVER take place on the BEACH, nor close to it, nor close to a not-so-decent place for the celebration of a Sacrament. IT IS NOT ALLOWED BY THE CATHOLIC CHURCH OF DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. If there is no Chapel on the complex, it can be celebrated in a Hall, in a quiet Garden or a Gazebo (which is not located near the beach or in an non-decent place).


17. The couple has to hand over all the original documents to the celebrant to be seen by him on the day of the Ceremony. It can be done through the Coordinator of the wedding. We need to make sure of the legality of all the copies that were sent to us. All the important original documents will be handed back to the couple on the same day along with a copy of the Certificate of the Church.


18. These requirements will have validity beginning on the 1st of JANUARY 2008.

Rev. Fr. Jose Eusebio, Jesus Maestro Parish, Bavaro-Cortecito, Punta Cana.
Rev. Fr. Jean A. Lacaille, Archivist, secretary and celebrant in English or French.

Several hotels offer free weddings.

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