One of the most beautiful aspects of wedding ceremonies is how sacred traditions vary across cultures and religions.
For Catholic, marriage, also known as Holy Matrimony, is considered a religious sacrament and it often involves specific, time-honoured rituals. It is a sacrament which sanctifies the contract of a Christian marriage and gives special graces and blessings to those who receive it worthily. It is usually performed by a priest, bishop or Pope.
Rings are used to signify the everlasting bond formed between a husband and wife through Holy Matrimony and the continuation of their vows to one another.
If you are about to get married in the Catholic Church, here are some facts you should be aware of:
- Making Initial Contact
Make initial contact by getting involved in your home church. The Catholic Church prefers a wedding be celebrated at one of the engaged person’s home Church. Your local priest or deacon will have the initial green light for readiness for marriage; so you will want to make a good impression. If you don’t live near the Church you were baptized or confirmed in, start attending regular Mass and sign up to be a member at a Catholic Church you would like to be married in.
2. Take a Pre-marriage Inventory
This is an assessment given by your priest that helps determine the strength and weakness of your relationship. It will give the priest an indication of the right counseling program for you and your spouse, because it will test in areas like communication, finances, interfaith marriages and sexuality.
3. File the Right Paperwork
If you are a confirmed Catholic, but marrying a baptized person from another Christian religion, you will have to file a dispensation form. Other dispensation forms are when a Catholic is marrying a non-baptized person.
- You will have to get a “Permission to Enter into into a Mixed Marriage Form” from your priest, if you are marrying a baptized non-catholic.
- If you are marrying someone not baptized, like an Atheist, Muslim or Jewish person, you will need your priest to approve a “Dispensation From Disparity of Cult Form”.
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- A wedding between a Catholic and someone who is not baptized can still be held in a Catholic Church, but it won’t be considered a sacrament until both parties are baptized.
4. Meet Your Priest to Reserve a Wedding Date and Time
Many Catholic Churches do not hold weddings on Sundays, since it conflicts with regular Mass. Many do not hold Wedding ceremonies during Lent either, since it is a time for penance and not celebration. Consult your priest before you set a definite date in order to prevent conflicts.
5. Start Your Marriage Preparation Program
The Catholic Church requires couples to go through preparation classes to confirm their commitment to each other and the Church.
6. Take a Natural Family Planning (NFP) Class
This is a requirement for marriage in a Catholic church and early registration is recommended by most dioceses. They like couples to learn the method several months before marriage. The class will go over Biology and how to use ovulation cycles to plan for children.
7. Go to Confession Before Your Wedding
Some parishes require the sacrament of reconciliation before marriage, if both parties are Catholic. Others may not require confession, but they still strongly recommend it.
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