Weddings
NOTE: DUE TO TEMPORARY STAFFING CONSTRAINTS, WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE YOUR MARRIAGE AT OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL. PLEASE CONTACT THE PARISH OFFICE EARLY ON IN YOUR PLANNING PROCESS TO VERIFY AVAILABILITY.
Congratulations. Thank you for your interest in having your wedding at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church. The following is a list of concerns on our part before we can witness your marriage in this parish:

  1. PLEASE NOTE: IN THE DIOCESE OF ST. THOMAS, MARRIAGES TAKE PLACE ONLY IN A CHURCH. WE ARE UNABLE TO ACCOMMODATE REQUESTS FOR CEREMONIES IN VILLAS, ON THE BEACH, ETC.
     
  2. Our regulations are the same as your home diocese. This means we will accept whatever pre-marriage preparation your parish priest provides in accordance with his diocesan policy. Please discuss this with your local pastor as soon as possible, since your diocese may offer the classes on an irregular basis.
     
  3. Please ask your parish priest if any dispensation is required.
     
  4. Your local parish’s prenuptial questionnaire for marriage and any other documents, such as baptismal certificate and dispensation, along with a letter of recommendation and permission to be married outside of your parish from your local pastor, should be sent a minimum of six weeks before your wedding to:
      Office of the Chancellor
      The Catholic Chancery
      P.O. Box 301825
      St. Thomas, VI 00803-1825
     
  5. The chancellor will review your paperwork. If the paperwork is in order, the chancellor will forward the documents to the pastor of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church on St. John.
     
  6. A Virgin Islands Marriage License is required before we can perform the ceremony. You must contact the Virgin Islands Territorial Court ahead of time to avoid any problems. The telephone number is (340) 774-6680. When you arrive in the Virgin Islands, you must go to the Territorial Court to collect the documents. The building is located next to the Fort Christian parking lot on the waterfront of downtown St. Thomas.
     
  7. If the wedding will be ministered by a priest or deacon from outside the Diocese of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands, he must receive faculties from our bishop. Please have him request a "Request for Ministry Form" from our parish secretary or the chancery office in advance of the wedding.
     
  8. Church fee is $600.
     
  9. Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church will not arrange musicians, flowers or other incidentals. Please ask our secretary or a wedding planner for referrals.
     
If you wish to proceed in this matter, please contact Our Lady of Mount Carmel well in advance (but no less than six weeks prior to the wedding) to reserve the date and time you desire to be married and the date and time of rehearsal

If you have further questions, please feel free to contact the pastor.
Click here for a printable check list of items and preparations you will need.
 

Our Lady of Mount Carmel web page developed by Mary Anne