Sacraments
| Baptism | Confirmation | Anointing of the Sick |
| Reconciliation | Marriage | |
| Eucharist | Holy Orders |
We celebrate the sacrament of baptism with infants by appointment. A preparation session is required if this is a couple’s first child or if it has been more than three years since the last child was baptized. For older children and adults we have a process of initiation, which leads to the celebration of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist at the Easter Vigil. Please contact the Parish Office to make arrangements (262-275-2480).
Saturdays, 9:00 a.m. in the parents' room
The sacrament of reconciliation is celebrated on Saturday mornings during the year. In addition, a communal service is celebrated during both the Advent and the Lenten Seasons. The sacrament can also be celebrated individually by appointment. Preparation of children (third grade and older) to understand and celebrate the sacrament occurs during the fall and culminates with a celebration of the sacrament during Advent.
This sacrament is celebrated every weekend by the community as well as on most weekdays. Children who are at least in the third grade prepare to receive the Body and Blood of Christ for the first time in communion with the rest of the church during the Easter Season.
Confirmation is celebrated once a year. Formation is open to all youth who are juniors in high school. Preparation for celebrating this sacrament goes from Fall until Spring. Those Catholics who are beyond high school are prepared for this sacrament through the adult confirmation program.
Guidelines for Preparing for Christian Marriage
Hello and welcome! Congratulations upon your engagement to be married. May God bless you with the grace needed to be faithful in love, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health.
| Outline of Preparation | Documents Needed | Church Fees | Final Considerations |
| Wedding Music | Civil License | Assorted Guidelines |
This will hopefully answer most of your questions regarding the practical preparations which our Church and our Parish offer you at this stage in your journey toward the Sacrament of Matrimony.
We believe that your decision to celebrate the holiness and special character of your love for each other in Christian Marriage continues God’s promise to our world. God so loved us that he gave us his Son, Jesus Christ. In the same unselfish manner Christ loves us, the Church, whom Saint Paul calls the “bride“ of Christ. As Christ loves his bride, the Church, so the two of you are called to a love of self-sacrifice and forgiveness. Your love for each other is a sign of God’s love for all. We, the Faith Community of Saint Benedict Parish, share your happiness and thank you for your promise to be a constant reminder of God’s love for us, as you love one another.
Preparing for Marriage, in any Catholic parish in Wisconsin, includes three basic areas:
Assessment includes your initial meetings with the parish priest (usually twice). A questionnaire called FOCCUS will be completed during one of your visits with the parish priest. The priest will “assess” your readiness to marry with the help of the FOCCUS questionnaire. A phone call (262-275-2480) or e-mail (djssrb@charter.net) is the best way to arrange these meetings.
Instructions are provided by the Archdiocese of Milwaukee at various locations throughout Southeast Wisconsin. We give you a brochure entitled “Enrichment for the Engaged” which includes a listing of dates, a description of the workshops and retreats, and a registration form. The registration and the fee are mailed by you to the Milwaukee office of the Archdiocese.
Liturgical planning for your wedding ceremony is guided by the parish priest and the Pastoral Musician, Jeff Honoré. We request that you contact Jeff (262-275-2480 ext. 26)) even if you wish another musician or soloist to assist at the wedding. It helps tremendously when all people involved in the ceremony keep in regular contact with each other.
The parish provides you with a planning book for the ceremony entitled "Together for Life". The final planning session with the priest performing the ceremony usually occurs about one month prior to the wedding date. The parish priest needs to be made aware of any special requests and/or circumstances, such as guest celebrants or special decorating arrangements.
The rehearsal most often takes place the evening before the wedding. The time for the rehearsal must be arranged with the parish priest. Plan on the rehearsal lasting about one hour.
As a member of the Parish Pastoral Staff, it is the Pastoral Musician’s responsibility to oversee the application of our parish’s policy to all music performed during every marriage ceremony here at Saint Benedict.
The suitability of music for worship is determined through the following judgments:
MUSICAL JUDGMENT asks whether or not this music is technically, aesthetically and expressively good.
LITURGICAL JUDGMENT asks whether or not the music, and especially the words, are appropriate for a service of worship and are in keeping with a full understanding of the Sacrament of Marriage.
PASTORAL JUDGMENT is the ‘here and now’ judgment. It evaluates the music in terms of its ability to enable the people gathered for this specific occasion, in this place, to express their faith through this celebration.
For Catholic brides and grooms, we must have a recently issued Baptism Certificate (not more than six months old). These are obtained from the parish office of the Church in which you were baptized. No fee is charged for this service. If you need a phone number or an address we have a listing of all Catholic parishes in the United States.
For brides and grooms baptized in other Christian churches, a copy of any official baptism record is sufficient. These certificates are retained in the permanent record folder and are held by Saint Benedict Parish as official documents, so you may wish to make a photocopy to keep for your own records.
During your first meetings with the parish priest the Pre-Nuptial Questionnaire is filled out and signed by each of you and by the priest. This is the Catholic Church’s official record of your sacrament of marriage. If you live quite a distance from Fontana, it may be more practical to arrange this step with the priest of your local parish.
If either of you have been married before, either in a church or in a civil ceremony, you need to inform the parish priest immediately. Depending upon the circumstances, more paperwork may be required which could have an effect on the date of your wedding. If your previous spouse has died, we need a copy of the death certificate.
Couples often have a relative or a family friend who is a Catholic Priest. Guest celebrants are most welcome. This includes interfaith marriages in which a minister from another Christian denomination is most welcome to co-witness the marriage in a Catholic Church. You may need a Delegation of Authority. This is a written or verbal permission. It officially welcomes the visiting priest or deacon to perform the wedding here at Saint Benedict. It is the responsibility of the guest celebrant to request the Delegation.
The civil marriage certificate is entirely your responsibility. You apply at the Walworth County Government Center, Clerk’s Office no sooner than 30 days and no later than 7 days prior to your wedding date. The Office is at 100 W. Walworth, Elkhorn, WI, Room 101, and open 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Friday. So for example, if a couple is planning on being married on a Saturday, they would have to apply at least by the Friday preceding the week of the marriage. Persons who have been divorced should contact the County Clerk’s Office for further information regarding dates and necessary papers required. Residents of the State of Wisconsin must apply before the County Clerk of the County in which either is a resident for at least 30 days. They may be married in any county in the State of Wisconsin. Non-Residents of the State of Wisconsin must apply before the County Clerk of the which they will be married.
Both the bride and the groom must be present at the time of the application. You must bring along a certified copy of your birth certificates and documentary proof of identification and residence (e.g. Driver’s License). The County Clerk will not accept photocopies, or a hospital certificate, or any baptismal records.
If there has been a previous marriage, the County also needs a certified copy of the Death Certificate or the Judgment of Divorce. Also, Social Security Numbers are required from both parties to assist in any future Child Support Enforcement.
There is a cash fee of $80.00 for the civil license. Checks are not accepted. You may wish to call the Walworth County Clerk at (262)-741-4241.
Please remember to bring the civil license with you to the rehearsal at Saint Benedict Church. Please note also that witnesses to a marriage, who sign the certificate, must be 18 years of age. Following the ceremony, the priest is required by law to mail the completed certificate to the Register of Deeds in the county where the ceremony occurred.
The Archdiocese of Milwaukee has established $50.00 as the “Stole Fee” for the sacrament of Marriage in every parish. It has been customary for an additional $50.00 to be charged by our parish office. The check for a total of $100.00 is made payable to Saint Benedict Parish. For couples who are not members or residents within the Parish a fee total of $150.00 is requested. Anything over and above these totals is considered a gift of thanks to the celebrant.
Fees for musicians or soloists, or any other participant in your wedding are not set by the parish. Please consult with each person whom you have invited to participate.
Many visitors have worshiped at Saint Benedict Church over the years. They have come to enjoy the hospitality and spirit of summer life around Lake Geneva. While we will do our best to accommodate a wedding for non-parishioners, it is our main responsibility to respect the requests of members of Saint Benedict Parish and their immediate families. Therefore, when it comes to setting a date and a time for a wedding ceremony parish families will be given first choice. All dates and times require the approval of the Pastor. Please do not assume that your wedding is on the calendar until you have spoken personally with the Pastor of Saint Benedict Parish.
Wedding times that are available include Friday evenings, Saturdays at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., and Saturday evenings at 6:30 p.m. Given some problems with arrangements in the past, we must be strict about these times. We also need to limit the number of weddings per weekend (Thursday - Saturday) to two. Remember, too, that all weddings of Catholics in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee must take place within a church or designated chapel.
Because of the extra details which are often included in the planning of wedding ceremonies there needs to be an increased sensitivity to the daily schedule of parish events. We ask that you and your guests please be considerate of other people or groups coming to the church and parish hall. Please check the parish bulletin or inquire at the parish office if you are unsure of our parish routine.
We ask that nothing be thrown or scattered on parish property, e.g. rice, birdseed, confetti, etc. These make walking hazardous for the elderly, and cleanup is difficult. We greatly appreciate your cooperation.
If you are considering using an aisle runner (supplied by you), please note that the main aisle is 100 feet long.
All altar and sanctuary decorations or flowers are to remain in place. However, please feel free to discuss changes with the priest. This is most important during the main liturgical seasons. If your florist has never been to Saint Benedict Church, it may be helpful to request that the florist contact the parish prior to signing any final contract with you. Mainly we ask that the sanctuary be left in the same condition as you found it.
Most photographers and videographers are aware of church regulations. If there is any doubt, we request that your photo/video company contact the celebrant before the wedding.
A wedding is a great celebration. It should include the participation of all of your guests. Please ask relatives and friends to take active roles in your ceremony as readers, ushers, greeters, gift-bearers, ministers of the Eucharist, etc.
Also, when planning the music and scriptural readings, please keep in mind the need to include songs and responses that can be sung by everyone. Our experience demonstrates that the more your guests can participate, the more they share your own joy and spirit of faith-filled worship.
The sacrament of holy orders is celebrated once a year in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, presided over by Archbishop Timothy Dolan. If you are interested in learning more about this sacrament and what preparation is needed, please contact the St. Francis Seminary Home Page.
The sacrament of anointing is celebrated communally during the Advent season. In addition, the sacrament may be celebrated at any time for someone who is seriously ill or entering surgery. Please call the parish office at 262-275-2480 to make arrangements.