DIOCESAN GUIDELINES FOR MARRIAGE

Transcription

1 DIOCESE OF MARQUETTE DIOCESAN GUIDELINES FOR MARRIAGE MICHIGAN PROVINCIAL GUIDELINES In their concern for the happiness and fulfillment of couples and the important role which marriage plays in the life of our church community, the bishops of every diocese in Michigan have prepared a set of guidelines regarding marriage preparation and the ceremonies which celebrate marriage. Our own bishop, The Most Reverend James H. Garland, intends that every parish in the diocese adopt these guidelines. Your pastor, deacon, or pastoral coordinator will acquaint you with these guidelines. DIOCESAN GUIDELINES FOR THE SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY As you plan your wedding liturgy, these Diocesan guidelines will help you to celebrate your love in a way that shows your family and friends your faith in God and your love for each other. The wedding liturgy expresses both the mystery of Christ and your own love, faith, and happiness. To take the first step, talk with your pastor, deacon or pastoral coordinator. He or she may direct you to other parish ministers trained to assist you in adapting these guidelines to parish policies. A service in church implies the use of music to call people to prayer and enable them to express their faith in Christ. Music is a principal language of worship. The most appropriate worship music is that which is sung in your parish at Sunday liturgy. It should be your primary source when choosing music for your wedding liturgy. Familiar music will allow everyone present to join in the singing in comfort. Take care to select well-known songs from your parish hymnal or worship aid, so that people from different parishes or different denominations can easily participate in the singing. Every wedding falls within the Church's Liturgical Year. Before planning your wedding liturgy, find out which liturgical season the church will be observing on your wedding date. The seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, and Ordinary time have their own unique character, affecting the style and color of decoration in the church. Keep in mind that the Church's seasonal decorations will remain in place for your wedding liturgy. Should you decide to augment them, living flowers and green plants are preferred.

2 THE RITE OF CELEBRATING MARRIAGE DURING MASS ENTRANCE PROCESSION The Rite of Marriage calls for the priest or deacon and the ministers carrying the cross, candles, and Book of the Gospels to go to the door of the church, welcome the couple, and lead them to their place at the altar. The Rite recommends that the parents of the bride and bridegroom accompany their daughter or son in the procession. The attendants follow (Rite of Marriage 19-20). Another option allows the bride and bridegroom to meet the priest or deacon at the altar. Prelude music and music for the procession may be instrumental or sung. If an instrumental piece is used for the procession, a gathering hymn sung by all those present often follows it. LITURGY OF THE WORD Only readings from the Scriptures may be used. The Word of God is proclaimed from the Lectionary as it is on Sunday. The lector should be able to read well and must be rehearsed. It is expecting a great deal indeed, when a member of the bridal party or anyone else without experience reading before a group is asked to read at such an important occasion (Michigan Provincial Guidelines). The best case scenario involves the ministry of a parish lector at parish weddings. The parish community already trusts this person with its most treasured readings. The psalm functions as a reaction to the work of God in the lives of people as exemplified in the readings. The Responsorial psalm is the most important piece of music in the Liturgy of the Word. As the appropriate minister of the psalm, the cantor leads and assists the whole assembly in singing it. Several psalms are suggested for weddings. The Responsorial psalm and the Gospel acclamation should be sung, as they are on Sunday. EXCHANGE OF CONSENT The declaration of consent is the essential element in the marriage rite. The bride and bridegroom should move to a prominent place, visible to the entire assembly, and face each other for this part of the celebration. The form of the vows must be chosen from among those given in the Ritual (Michigan Provincial Guidelines). If desired, the witnesses may flank the couple at this moment. There is no requirement that one of the witnesses be Catholic (Code of Canon Law 1108, Michigan Provincial Guidelines).

3 PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL The couple may prepare the Prayer of the Faithful. Another person should be chosen to speak the petitions during the celebration. Again, the person must be capable and rehearsed. Petitions should be made for the church, civil authorities, and other human needs, as well as for the couple (Michigan Provincial Guidelines). Petitions should be submitted to the presider, prior to the rehearsal. PREPARATION OF THE TABLE AND GIFTS A procession of the gifts occurs during Mass. It moves forward through the congregation, toward the altar. Family members or friends of the couple may bring the bread and wine in procession (Michigan Provincial Guidelines). While the gifts are brought forward, a song may be sung or instrumental music played. If a song is sung, the text should reflect the season of the year or the joy of Christian love and marriage. The music should not extend beyond the preparation time. EUCHARISTIC PRAYER The Eucharistic prayer is the central moment of worship. It should be focused and free of distractions. Participation by the assembly should include singing of the Holy, the Memorial Acclamation, and the Great Amen, as in the parish Sunday Liturgy. COMMUNION RITE The Lord's Prayer may be sung. However, most denominations recite the prayer regularly in worship. Therefore, the spoken prayer would allow full participation by an assembly that includes people from other Christian denominations. During the Rite of Peace, the couple may wish to move among relatives and friends close to where they are standing and share with them a gesture of reconciliation and peace. The Lamb of God is a litany and may be sung by the assembly and cantor. It is especially appropriate that communion under both kinds be available for the couple and the assembly. Drinking from the cup, because it symbolizes the ratifying of God's covenant with us, has special significance as the couple enters their marriage covenant. The assembly, seeking unity in Christ, comes forward to receive the body and blood of Jesus Christ (Michigan Provincial Guidelines). When a number of communicants is large, commissioned extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist may assist the clergy with communion (Michigan Provincial Guidelines).

4 DISMISSAL RITE Most frequently, the recessional music is instrumental. A hymn familiar to the assembly may also be sung before the recessional music. DIOCESAN GUIDELINES FOR MARRIAGE OUTSIDE OF MASS Catholic marriage should normally be celebrated within the context of Mass (Rite of Marriage 6). However, a pastor may propose a celebration outside of Mass when circumstances warrant. Couples then celebrate the Rite of Marriage with a Liturgy of the Word. In a marriage between a Catholic and a baptized person who is not a Catholic, the Rite of Marriage Outside of Mass is used (Rite of Marriage 8). If bride or bridegroom is not baptized, the Rite of Marriage Between A Catholic And An Unbaptized Person is followed. The Eucharist is our primary sign of unity and unless both bride and bridegroom, along with relatives on both sides are able to participate in the sacrament, the celebration can appear as a sign of division rather than unity. For a just cause, however, the Diocesan Bishop may permit the celebration of the Eucharist for a marriage between a Catholic and a baptized Christian. At a wedding Mass, the marriage rite occurs after the homily and before the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Outside of Mass the concluding rites follow the marriage rite as this outline shows: CELEBRATION OF MARRIAGE OUTSIDE OF MASS: Opening Rites Assembly Gathers Entrance of Bride, Bridegroom and families Greeting and Opening Prayer Liturgy of the Word First Reading Responsorial Psalm Second Reading Gospel Acclamation Gospel Homily

5 Marriage Rite Instruction and Inquiry Consent and Exchange of Vows Blessing and Exchange of Rings Prayer of the Faithful Nuptial Blessing Concluding Rites The Lord's Prayer Blessing Recessional PARISH WEDDING POLICIES As a gesture of concern and hospitality, the parish itself can publish guidelines for weddings celebrated there. Such guidelines have an interest in promoting an appropriate solemnity according to parish custom. The following are some items about which a parish may wish to express a policy. The couple should consult with the parish concerning these items before making wedding plans. Time frame for contacting the parish (Provincial policy requires contact 6 months in advance.) Parish membership requirement Marriage preparation requirement Reserving the church for wedding and rehearsal Liturgical ministers needed; Qualifications for ministry Number of attendants Photography, videography in church Decoration options Customary stipends September 29, 2000 Inclusion in Diocesan Policy Feast of Michael, Gabriel and Procedure Manual and Raphael, Archangels March 2001