Sacraments - Policies & Procedures - Los Sacramentos En Español - Polizas y Procedimientos

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

BAPTISM

To parents seeking baptism for their children:
Welcome and thank you for bringing your child for baptism. We hope that your child's baptism will be an experience of renewal and fulfillment for your family and the entire Christian community. We require, in order to schedule a baptism at the Cathedral, that parents and godparents participate in a baptism preparation class. We ask that you not make plans for your baptism until after you have attended a class. Baptisms at the Cathedral are scheduled one Saturday or Sunday per month.

*Orientation class - We ask that both parents and godparents participate.
Baptismal preparation at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph is designed to assist you in your decision to have your child baptized. This gathering would be about how you understand baptism. We simply invite parents and godparents to discover where church and faith fit into your lives. We will give you an information sheet, inform you of the available dates for baptism and give you a baptism registration form, which you may complete at home and bring to the parish office on any day of the week in order to schedule the baptism with the receptionist at which time you would bring the donation.

*Registered members of St. Joseph Cathedral Basilica Parish must call (408) 283-8100 ext. 2200 for an appointment to take the baptism preparation class here. This is required in order to baptize here. Parents or sponsors who live too far to attend at the Cathedral Basilica also have the option of attending baptism preparation at a Catholic church nearby where they reside.

If you or the sponsors are not registered members of St. Joseph Cathedral Basilica Parish, we ask that you please attend baptism preparation in your own parish. You will then be given certificates as proof of attendance. In order to schedule the baptism here, these certificates must be presented.

Sponsors
Sponsors should be at least 16 years of age, baptized and confirmed, receive communion and are participating in the worship and life of the Church. Sponsors are witnesses to our faith and the actual event of baptism. You need only to have one godparent but two are acceptable and will be officially recorded as witnesses.

Certificate of attendance
When families attend baptismal preparation at their own parish, a letter from that parish verifies participation in their baptismal preparation class. Our orientation is also open to parishioners who will sponsor or baptize a child in another parish. Our certificates are supplied upon request. If baptism preparation takes place in another parish, please provide us with verification in order to schedule here.

Scheduling
After you have attended the baptism class and considered the date you would like, please come to our parish office in order to schedule the baptism. A donation is brought to us at the time the baptism gets scheduled. This is tax-deductible and we will provide you with a receipt. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask them at your class. We ask that you please not bring the money to the orientation class.

On the Day of Baptism
Baptisms are celebrated once per month. We ask that you choose a row of chairs in the center transept of the church when you and your family arrive. Also we ask that the parent(s) please sit in the chairs closest to the center aisle with godparents and other family members to fill in the row.

Parking As a reminder, since parking can be difficult downtown, please allow extra time to arrive and park. It is important to us and to our families that the baptism ceremony begins on time with all families present. If you arrive late, we may have to ask that your baptism be rescheduled to the following month.

We wish to again thank you for your participation in this process. If you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call us at (408) 283-8100 ext. 2200.

Office hours: Monday through Friday: 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday: 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.

WEDDINGS

Thank you for considering the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph for your wedding. The following covers our basic policy, however, you are most welcome to call and speak with Antonia Lira, at 408/283-8100 ext. 2214 for further information and/or when you are ready to make your reservation.

Weddings are scheduled on Saturdays, at 10:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 2:30 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. We are now offering a Friday at 6:00 p.m. and a Sunday at 3:00 p.m. wedding as an option. Please keep in mind that the Sunday wedding is only a simple ceremony and not a full mass. Each wedding is allotted a 2-hour time slot, which allows for seating of guests, the ceremony and the taking of pictures.

Fees for the use of the Cathedral are a total of $1,600.00. Music and coordination are included in the Cathedral fee. A $300.00 non-refundable deposit is required to be paid within a week of the reservation being approved and the balance is due 8 weeks prior to the date of the wedding. A special discount is given for 10:00 a.m. Saturday weddings.

Reserving the Cathedral requires that your priest be consulted first about his availability. To preside over your ceremony here and his coordinating the pre-marital counseling. Your priest needs to verify that you both are free to marry in the Catholic Church and you must allow at least 6 months of preparation prior to your wedding. We ask that couples who are not Cathedral Basilica parishioners contact and work with a priest from their own parish; Cathedral Basilica parishioners are eligible to schedule their wedding with a priest from this parish. We can provide some information on the Cathedral schedule but cannot secure your reservation until you are able to confirm that your priest is available for the date and time that you are considering. Your priest will receive written confirmation from us following the $300.00 non-refundable deposit.

Marriage Preparation – The Catholic Engaged Encounter Retreat is mandatory for couples preparing for marriage by the Cathedral Basilica priests. The retreat cost per couple is $365.00. Counseling sessions, pre-marital inventories, and other activities recommended by the priest may complement the marriage preparation. The Cathedral Basilica also offers a Saturday Engagement Encounter program on a limited basis and more information can be obtained by calling Antonia Lira at 408/283-8100 ext.2214. Instruction on Natural Family Planning is also required for anyone who is to marry in the Diocese of San Jose. Your priest will advise you of any other activities that may be required and their fees. All documentation that substantiates the completion of marriage preparation must be submitted to your priest. Your priest will need to submit all your paperwork no less than 6 weeks prior to your wedding.

Music – Our music director will be your consultant regarding musicians and music selections and will also cantor for your ceremony. The Cathedral organist will also be provided. Should you wish to contract additional liturgical musicians, we recommend budgeting approximately $150.00 for each. It is required that our music director meet with you to approve the selections, provide technical information to your musicians and be present at your ceremony to help things run smoothly. This consultation is scheduled through our front office at 408/283-8100 ext. 0.

Decorations and Environment – Two floral arrangements are included with the Cathedral fee. The selection of the arrangements will concede with the environment plan for the time of the season at the Cathedral. These are brought to us from Citti’s Florist and are in place behind the Cathedra (Bishop’s chair). They remain through the weekend and the remainder of the week. If you wish additional flowers you may add them in selected areas of the Cathedral but keep in mind that you must cover the cost and make the arrangements with a florist of your choice. No additional structures, chairs, stands, columns, kneelers, candelabras, runners or other decorations that violate safety or liturgical considerations are allowed nor is it permitted any reconfiguration of the pews or movement of the altar table, ambo or baptismal font.

Photography – you may select your own photographer who may or may not already be familiar with our Cathedral and its policies. Before contracting a photographer or videographer, please check with us to see if they are prohibited from working at the Cathedral.

Ceremony Coordinator – The ceremony coordinator will contact you during the last four
Weeks prior to your wedding date to fine-tune the details of your ceremony (the liturgy itself and your plan for the members of your wedding party), conduct your wedding rehearsal and attend the wedding in order to help manage the flow of your ceremony. They are knowledgeable in the Catholic liturgical guidelines that direct us in preparing for special celebrations, which include the Sacrament of Marriage. Our wedding ceremony coordinators are also trained in the protocols that guide us as to how we respect and enjoy the Cathedral space.

Frequently-Asked Questions:

Do I have a simple ceremony or a nuptial Mass?
You work this out with the priest who will be witnessing your vows. He will make the decision after such a discussion with you.

My fiancé and I have not attended church for a long time. Can we still get married in your church?
If you would like to marry in any Catholic Church, it is important to establish a tradition of attending mass regularly. In this way, you will become re-acquainted with the prayers and rituals in the Mass and you will get to know a priest with whom you feel comfortable enough to invite to accompany you in the journey through the preparation and the ceremony. We suggest attending services and registering in a parish near your residence or known to your friends or family members.

We’re very concerned about coordinating the reception hall, etc. for that day. Can we book the church now?
We ask that you consult with your priest for his availability first. It is helpful to examine a few dates with him and make note of them, so that you have something to work with if your first choice is not available. Note: we are only able to reserve the Cathedral for weddings one year prior to the date of your request. The only exception to this policy would be the registered parishioner of the Cathedral and approval by our clergy.

My uncle is a priest but he lives out of the country. Could he preside at our wedding?
If a Catholic priest from out of our Diocese commits to preside at the wedding ceremony, this arrangement is acceptable, given that we can establish that his ministerial faculties are in order and that he gets permission from his Bishop. The marriage preparation my be overseen locally by another priest of the couple’s choice. In this case, each priest will receive written confirmation of his stated commitment.

My fiancé is not Catholic. Can we get married in the Catholic Church? I was married before. Can I remarry in the Catholic Church?
I still need to make my First Communion and Confirmation. Is this a problem? These are some of the issues that are discussed in the initial interview with your priest. Each situation will be examined individually by the priest, who will give the couple recommendations on how to address specific needs. He is the person who ultimately would declare the couple’s readiness for marriage in the Catholic Church.

Who should I talk to if I have more questions?
Please contact our Reservation Coordinator, Antonia Lira, at 408/283-8100 ext. 2214 for the reservation or if you have further questions regarding your Cathedral wedding. We look forward to serving you as your wedding day approaches.