Attending a Non-Catholic Wedding

APRIL 2011 "Not to oppose error is to approve it, and not to defend the truth is to suppress it" - Pope St. Felix III and her husband, both marriage Q:Can my daughterhusbands college friendpracticing Catholics, attend the civil the status of ceremony of her and his fiance? They do not know those getting married including not knowing if they are Christian. Bill Allen

A:

The Catholic Church has no specific law covering this situation. Generally speaking, Catholics would be able to attend such a civil ceremony as long as there was no impediment to the marriage. For example, if one of those to be married was previously married and there are no grounds for an annulment, the Catholic Church would not recognize the second marriage and would consider it sinful. Another example would be, for instance, the couple wrote their own vows and included that they had agreed to not have children. The Catholic Church requires those being married to be open to the possibility of having children. So again, generally speaking, if there are no known impediments to a valid marriage taking place, the Catholic Church would not bar a Catholic from attending the ceremony and would hold the marriage as valid until shown otherwise. This report prepared on September 17, 2006 by Ronald Smith, 11701 Maplewood Road, Chardon, Ohio 44024-8482, E-mail: hfministry@roadrunner.com. Readers may copy and distribute this report as desired to anyone as long as the content is not altered and it is copied in its entirety. In this little ministry I do free Catholic and occult related research and answer your questions. Questions are answered in this format with detailed footnotes on all quotes. If you have a question(s), please submit it to this landmail or e-mail address. Answers are usually forthcoming within one week. Let us recover by penance what we have lost by sin

What are the rules for attending weddings?

http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=167154 Q: Often I see questions on here pertaining to whether someone can attend this wedding or that based on the religion of the bride and groom. Could you give a general list of when you should and should not support a given wedding? This will help me with all future decisions, although like most, I have a hindsight situation of my own. My best friend growing up was married a few years ago (before I knew my faith as well as I do now). He has always been a Methodist and asked me to be a groomsman. His wife was a Catholic however. I did not meet her till just before the wedding so I don't know whether she was practicing or not. He had just told me that she was Catholic but would probably become Methodist after they married. The ceremony was done by a Methodist minister and I don't believe she had a dispensation but I didn't ask. Should I have participated in such a wedding? Is this something I need to confess? Farley July 7, 2007 A: In your own particular situation, we don't know whether or not the wedding was presumptively valid because we don't know whether the bride had the dispensations necessary to marry a nonCatholic in a non-Catholic ritual. Even presuming the wedding was presumptively invalid though, the Church does not explicitly forbid Catholics from attending invalid marriages and so Catholics must use their own prudential judgment in discerning attendance on a case-by-case basis. From what you've told me, it does not appear to me that you need to confess attending this wedding. As for general rules: 1

Catholics may attend all presumptively-valid marriages of Catholics, non-Catholics, and nonChristians. For Catholics marrying other Catholics or marrying a non-Catholic Christian or non-Christian, a wedding is presumptively valid if it is done in accordance with Catholic marital law. Catholics marrying non-Catholic Christians or non-Christians need a dispensation from cult to marry the non-Catholic party and a dispensation from form if they are marrying in a non-Catholic ritual. For non-Catholics and non-Christians who are marrying other non-Catholics or non-Christians, a wedding can be considered presumptively valid if there are no known impediments to the marriage. The most common impediments that outsiders are likely to know about would be previous marriage, close blood relationship, or same-sex partners. If none of these impediments are known to exist, a prospective guest may presume that the wedding will be valid. The Church does not explicitly forbid Catholics from attending presumptively-invalid marriages. Catholics must use their own prudential judgment in making the decision, keeping in mind the need to uphold the Catholic understanding of the sanctity of marriage. One rule of thumb that may be helpful in making such decisions might be to ask yourself if you believe the couple is doing the best that they can to act honorably and according to the truth that they have. So, for example, you might decide to attend the presumptively-invalid wedding of a couple who is expecting a child; but decline to attend the presumptively-invalid wedding of a couple who have engaged in adultery and destroyed previous marriages and families. While there may be just reason to attend a particular wedding that will be presumptively-invalid, I cannot recommend participating as a member of the wedding party in such weddings. There is a difference between attending as a non-participating observer and actively involving yourself in the wedding as an honor attendant. If you are not attending the wedding as a matter of principle, then I cannot recommend attending a reception or giving a gift to honor an occasion that you believe in conscience that you cannot celebrate. I do recommend though writing the couple a letter in which you express your love and that you will pray for them. (If prudence suggests it, it is fine to withhold from them what you will be praying to God that they obtain, such as the grace of repentance and conversion.) In the case of same-sex partners, the Church has spoken so strongly against "same-sex marriage"* that I cannot recommend attending or celebrating "same-sex weddings" under any circumstances. Michelle Arnold, Catholic Answers apologist *http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20030731 _homosexual-unions_en.html CONSIDERATIONS REGARDING PROPOSALS TO GIVE LEGAL RECOGNITION TO UNIONS BETWEEN HOMOSEXUAL PERSONS, Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, March 28, 2003

Non-Catholic Brother Planning New Marriage

http://jimmyakin.typepad.com/defensor_fidei/2006/07/a_reader_writes_2.html By Jimmy Akin, July 24, 2006 A reader writes: My brother, who is a baptized Catholic but has not practiced since he was little (my parents left the Church for a Protestant one at that time and have since returned, though my brother is still Protestant) has married outside of the church in a Protestant ceremony is now in the process of divorcing his wife, who is pregnant. He also already has a new girlfriend whom he has expressed the intent to marry. I have told him that I could not attend this wedding and that I should not have attended his first wedding as it was outside of the Church and he is a baptized Catholic, even though he has rejected Catholicism. I know that he has not formally (that is written to Rome) left the Church. Have I done the right thing? This is creating a huge amount of tension and stress in my family, especially because I am trying to inform my now Catholic parents of what the correct position is to take in regards to the potential second wife, whom my brother has asked to be allowed to live at their house (though not in his room...After separating from his first wife, he moved back home). Though it is not in the planned future, I have also told my family that I cannot attend my other brother's wedding, when and if he decides to marry, unless it is within the Catholic Church. Is this correct? Please help. Many hearts are hurting over these matters. This is a really tough situation, and my heart goes out to you. 2

The Holy See recently released a document on what is required in order to formally defect from the Church, and it took a startlingly restrictive view. One does not have to write to Rome to formally defect, but one does have to go through one's local bishop. The question in my mind is whether Rome intends this to apply to previous marital situations or just those from here on out. According to the Code of Canon Law, Canon 16 2: An authentic interpretation put forth in the form of law has the same force as the law itself and must be promulgated. If it only declares the words of the law which are certain in themselves, it is retroactive; if it restricts or extends the law, or if it explains a doubtful law, it is not retroactive. It does not seem to me that the recent document merely declared the plain meaning of the words of the law which were already certain. What constituted formal defection was notoriously uncertain, and the canonical commentators I am aware of universally interpreted it more broadly than how the recent document did. The recent document therefore seems to me to either function as restricting the interpretation of the law or explaining a doubtful one. In either case, it would not be retroactive and thus your brother would not have needed to go through the local bishop in order to formally defect. Unfortunately, Rome has not yet given us an authoritative statement on whether the new document is to be understood retroactively, though I suspect that is coming since an awful lot of marriage cases have been adjudicated based on the prior understanding of formal defection, and that is bound to lead to confusion. Even then, it is not clear to me whether your brother formally defected from the Church. One of the reasons that this concept was in need of clarification was that how it applied to situations like your brother's was unclear. In other words: What about the case of children who are taken to other churches by their parents and made members of them? Does that mean that the child formally defected despite his lack of age and responsibility for doing so? Does he need to reaffirm the defection once he is an adult? Does he need to reaffirm it formally? We now know the answers to these questions going forward, but at the time your brother was made a member of another church, the answers were unclear. I thus can't tell -- both because of the unclarity of the law at the time and because it is at least arguable whether the law is retroactive -- if your brother has formally defected. The best way I know to handle the question is thus to split it and ask what would apply if he did formally defect and if he did not. First, let's suppose that he did formally defect. Canon law provides that if a person has formally defected from the Church then he is not bound to observe the Catholic form of marriage. If your brother had formally defected then he would have been free to marry his first spouse. Marriage enjoys the favor of the law so, until the nullity of his first marriage is established, he must be presumed to be married to his first wife and thus not free to marry his current girlfriend. Any union with his current girlfriend must be presumed to be adulterous, per Jesus' statements in Mark 10. On this understanding, it would have been permissible for you to attend his first wedding but I could not recommend that you attend his second because your presence would lend credence to an objectively adulterous relationship. Similarly, I could not recommend allowing two people who must be presumed to have an adulterous relationship to live under my roof, for the same reason: Doing so lends credence to an objectively adulterous relationship, as well as providing scandal (in the technical sense of setting a bad example that may lead others into sin). The same applies even if they are living chastely prior to attempting marriage. Your brother is not presumptively free to have a relationship with this woman, and letting her live there lends credence to the idea that he is. Now let's suppose that your brother did not formally defect. In this case he was still bound to observe the Catholic form of marriage and his first marriage was invalid. He is thus free to marry someone else--however, this marriage too will be invalid unless he either observes the Catholic form of marriage or obtains a dispensation from it. In order to do either, he will for practical purposes need to have his first marriage investigated by an ecclesiastical tribunal and declared null (which is not certain for reasons indicated above, even though at the moment I'm assuming that he did defect and so it was null; that still has to be shown). Your brother, as a non-Catholic, is presumably not willing to go through the above steps, in which case his new attempt at marriage would be invalid. I thus could not recommend attending it (or the previous one) nor letting him live in my house with his girlfriend (married or unmarried) since 3

their planned future union would be invalid. Thus, while one of the key facts of the case (whether or not he formally defected) is unclear, the practical conclusions are similar: I couldn't recommend attending the new attempt at marriage nor allowing his girlfriend to live in the house, either before or after the attempt. It is to be understood that, as a Protestant, your brother may be acting in good conscience in all this (though he would need an awful good reason to be divorcing a pregnant wife), and he cannot be expected to understand or appreciate the reasons outlined above. Nevertheless, he needs to understand the reality of his situation. It does not do him any favors to confirm him in an adulterous or otherwise invalid union. If he is going to get his marital situation straightened out before God, he needs to be made aware of the truth and to be aware of it as soon as possible. Letting him get confirmed in a new, invalid union will only create a larger mess to be cleaned up later. The merciful thing--as hard as it is--is to be honest with him now about his proposed union (honest both in word and in deed) and give him all the support and encouragement one can to help him avoid making a terrible mistake. I would therefore explain to him as charitably as possible, and with as many family members as possible in agreement, why he needs to re-evaluate the situation, which also involves reevaluating the question of his religious affiliation. If he is unwilling to do so, that is understandable. Nevertheless--as painful as it would be for him--he should respect the fact that as a Catholic you must follow your consciences even as he follows his. None of this, I would hasten to point out, has anything to do with how much you love him. You still love him and, in fact, it is precisely because of your love for him that you are handling the matter in this manner. I hope this helps, and I encourage my readers to pray for this situation!

Should I Attend?
http://www.cuf.org/faithfacts/details_view.asp?ffID=137 Catholics United for the Faith Faith Facts The Answers You Need, March 20, 2002 Issue: Does the Catholic Church prohibit Catholics from attending weddings that the Church does not recognize? If a Catholic is invited to such a wedding and can attend, is it permissible for him to be in the wedding party? Response: The Catholic Church does not explicitly prohibit Catholics from attending weddings whose validity she does not recognize. There are certain moral principles, however, that should be considered before a Catholic decides how to proceed. Most importantly, Catholics must avoid any actions that cause scandal or encourage others to sin. Discussion: In todays society, many couples live together before marriage, and divorce and remarriage are common. In addition, many Catholics marry outside the Church. Couples in these situations commit the sins of fornication, adultery, or both. Because of these objectively sinful circumstances, Christians are often left in a quandary when they are invited to weddings the Church does not recognize, particularly when friends or relatives are involved. The way in which one prayerfully responds to these invitations must witness to the truths taught by Christ. Our actions must encourage and promote the salvation of all. Moral Principles Everything we do must encourage and provide for our salvation and the salvation of others. We must be in the world, but not of the world (cf. John 17:15-19). By our participation in the lives of others, we must be salt of the earth and witness to the truths of Christ and His Church (Matthew 5:13). When we provide for our salvation and the salvation of others, we fulfill the two great commandments: to love God with our whole heart, mind and soul, and to love our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God (cf. Matthew 22:37-40). We must take care, however, not to become "flat salt." As our Lord says: You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trodden under foot by men. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven (Matthew 5:1316). The example given by Christ is noteworthy. He did not hesitate to associate Himself with sinners (Phil. 2:4-8). Though God, He took our human nature upon Himself, becoming like us in all ways except sin. He brought us truth in a way that we can easily understand. In this same way, we 4

must not hesitate to associate ourselves with fellow sinners. However, we must take care to avoid sin and scandal. If we allow or participate in the sin of another, we share that sin and its consequences. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) teaches, 1868 Sin is a personal act. Moreover, we have a responsibility for the sins committed by others when we cooperate in them: by participating directly and voluntarily in them; by ordering, advising, praising, or approving them; by not disclosing or not hindering them when we have an obligation to do so; by protecting evil-doers. 2284 Scandal is an attitude or behavior which leads another to do evil. The person who gives scandal becomes his neighbors tempter. He damages virtue and integrity; he may even draw his brother into spiritual death. Scandal is a grave offense if by deed or omission another is deliberately led into a grave offense. 2287 Anyone who uses the power at his disposal in such a way that it leads others to do wrong becomes guilty of scandal and responsible for the evil that he has directly or indirectly encouraged. 'Temptations to sin are sure to come; but woe to him by whom they come!' (Luke 17:1) Fornication and adultery are mortal sins. Those who persist in these sins endanger their salvation. They violate the Sixth Commandment (CCC, nos. 2331-2400). Living together before marriage is fornication (CCC, no. 2353). Subsequent marriage of the couple does not blot out the sins they already committed, nor does the wedding itself necessarily change their attitudes or habits toward chastity and purity. Divorce and remarriage is an act of adultery, regardless of whether the "spouses" are Catholic or not (cf. Mark 10:10-12; CCC, no. 2384). For a Catholic who marries outside the Church, the Church does not recognize the marriage, and the union is considered adulterous (Code of Canon Law, canon 1108). [1] No one should promote fornication or adultery. What to Do? If a Catholic is asked to attend the wedding of a couple whose marriage is not recognized by the Church, or whose life does not promote purity and chastity, he should ask himself: "What message will I send by my attendance? Will attending such a wedding encourage or hinder the salvation of others? What will not attending accomplish? If I go, will others consider my presence to be affirming of the sin? Will I lead others to scandal? How can I best witness to the truth?" A Catholic should not affirm fornication or adultery, nor should he give the appearance to others that he condones the acts. Such appearance can cause scandal. If his actions affirm or encourage the sin, he participates in the sin. There is a real concern that if a person refuses to attend the wedding, a rift in friendship could occur. This division could hinder any witness to the truth, and this concern is especially serious if the wedding involves a close friend or family member. This concern alone must not hinder our witness (cf. Luke 12:51-53), but it can guide our actions as we fulfill our obligation to bring others to Christ. It could be that not attending would destroy any possible chance to witness the truth to the persons involved, especially if no reason is given for not attending. It could also be that not attending, and giving reasons for the absence, will help the couple choose the way of Christ. If a Catholic chooses to attend, he will want to ensure that no one considers his presence to be an affirmation of the sin. Jesus saw the woman at the well and the Samaritans of her town as ripe for the harvest. Had He not spent two days with them, they would not have received the words of life. While with the Samaritans, Jesus encouraged His apostles to open their eyes and see the opportunity to spread the truth (cf. John 4:1-42). We too must recognize the opportunities for reaping the harvest of faith, and not quench the burning embers among the lukewarm (cf. Isaiah 42:3-4). The same principles apply whether one is a member of the wedding party, is attending the wedding, or is simply attending the reception. However, participating in the wedding party, however, is more visible and will generally be understood as an affirmation of the union. It would be very difficult for a member of the wedding party to attend without affirming the situation or at least giving the impression to others that he is doing so. At the reception, discussions about the couple and their life together will arise. This may be more difficult for some people to handle without affirming the couples situation or bringing scandal to others. If one plans to attend the reception, one should consider what one will say about the couples situation when the merriment begins and everyone is talking about how wonderful this it is. Morally 5

speaking, there are many factors to consider before we judge a situation as scandalous. Some situations allow for scandal more readily than others. Before we can witness to the truth, people must be open to what we have to say. In the same way, before our actions cause scandal, people have to consider our actions worthy of notice. What is important to remember is that we must prayerfully consider the situation, our response, and the probable reaction of others to our response. Conclusion Anyone invited to the wedding of a couple whose marriage does not promote the truth should prayerfully consider his actions. Using the teachings explained in the Catechism, he should ask ourselves, "How can I avoid participating in their sin, yet encourage their salvation? How can I avoid scandal, yet encourage the salvation of others?" Anyone in this situation should discuss the matter with a spiritual director or in the confessional before making the decision. Whatever ones decision may be, a Catholic should strive to give a clear and charitable witness to the faith. The Catholic Church does not teach whether we must or must not attend. Christ does say we must witness to the truth in a charitable manner. If loved ones or friends go through with the wedding, a Catholic should look for opportunities to maintain contact and witness to the truth. Above all, our decisions and actions must promote the salvation of souls. In fostering the salvation of souls, the Two Great Commandments are fulfilled. Questions for Reflection and Group Discussion: 1. Read Catechism, no. 2284. What is the sin of scandal? How does it apply to the decision to attend a wedding? 2. What factors would be relevant in considering whether to attend a wedding not recognized by the Church? What would be the advantages and disadvantages of attending? 3. The reason this is such a significant issue is that premarital cohabitation, fornication, and divorce and remarriage are increasingly common today. What can we do within our own sphere of influence to reverse this trend and promote the Sacrament of Marriage? Notes [1] Cf. Code of Canon Law (Washington, DC: Canon Law Society of America, 1983), can. 1108.

Is it a sin to witness a non-Catholic wedding ceremony?

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=00AjB4 Q: I am engaged to marry a non-Catholic, and because he does not want to convert, we will be married by a Presbyterian minister. My sister is a nun, and has told my parents that it will be a sin if they attend the wedding, because this is not a Catholic Church sanctioned wedding. Or is it true that if they do attend that they are going against any church rules, because their attendance is, in essence, a blessing of this non-Catholic union? Thanks for any advice you can give, as this is causing a family rift. Deborah Daly, April 08, 2003 A: No, a Catholic should not be witnessing the wedding of a Catholic in a non-Catholic ceremony. The Church has certain rules and one of them is that you follow its teachings in regards to marriage. You may be married in a Presbyterian church with the minister present, but you must have a Catholic priest present to make it a valid Catholic marriage. Is there a problem with that? Having the priest there to bless the marriage would make it "kosher" in the eyes of the Church. Christina Jesus never did anything that would give the impression of approval or support of a sinful situation. A Catholic who goes through the motions of a non-Catholic wedding is entering into a state of overt ongoing fornication. Jesus said that no fornicator would enter His Kingdom. Do you suppose then that He would show up to support, let alone celebrate, such an occasion? I am sure they love each other, and I am sure their intentions are good, but good intentions do not nullify objective evil. Your sister was right, and what she did demonstrated not only personal courage, but a godly commitment to truth. It's so easy to pin the blame for hard feelings on the one who upsets the apple cart by acting morally. The hard feelings that still linger are the result of sin, not the result of your sister's refusal to encourage sin. Paul It is not a sin for a Catholic to attend a non-Catholic wedding ceremony, unless of course their specific intent in doing so was to harm the Church through scandal. The real issue at the heart of your question is scandal. Scandal is a technical term used by the Church to describe those actions by individuals which when witnessed by other innocent individuals, are reasonably perceived by them in a way that 6

could conceivably influence their choice of good over evil in the future. In other words, could anything your parents do by attending the (invalid) wedding of their daughter reasonably have an influence on others to sufficiently cause them to sin sometime in the future? It would be obvious to anyone in attendance that your parents presence is primarily due to their relationship to you and that their intent is to attend out of love for you and not to cause scandal to the Church in any way. Similarly, any Catholic friends and relatives should not be reluctant to attend your wedding and show you their love in doing so. As concerned Catholic parents however, your parents should do everything in their power to convince you to have a valid wedding ceremony. Any Catholics who attend your wedding ceremony, including your parents, should not actively participate in the service (e.g. receive communion, etc.). Additionally, it is not recommended that Catholics act in any official capacity such as bridesmaid or best man at such invalid marriages. Participating as a member of the official wedding party at such marriages can only send the message that the participant is indeed supplying his/her tacit approval to the ceremony. Ed

Attending a non-catholic wedding when one is a baptized catholic

http://catholic-bulletin.blogspot.com/2008/05/attending-non-catholic-wedding-when-one.html Question from SBM on 5/3/2008: A very good friend has invited me to her son's wedding. Her son was baptized Catholic but is no longer practicing and is not having a sacramental Catholic wedding; rather, he is being married in a non-catholic church. Honestly, I'm torn. Part of me says I'm advocating sin if I attend. The other part says I may be missing an opportunity for evangelizing in the fashion of St. Francis of Assisi. "Evangelize, evangelize, evangelize!! And when absolutely necessary, use words." He also "evangelized" by his mere presence by walking through the streets and saying nothing. I'm not sure if it would be the same thing by my "presence" at the wedding. Most of all, I want to bring her son back to the Catholic church, not turn him further away by my actions. I'd also like to add that my friend was also torn. She asked two different priests, whom I feel are both true to the magisterium of the Catholic Church, whether she should go to her son's wedding. One told her that it would be a mortal sin; the other said he approved of her attending. She has chosen to attend. She said she got married outside the Church and was a baptized Catholic and later returned to the faith. To complicate matters further, this son saved her life. Is there anything stated in Canon Law that might be helpful in resolving this important matter? Thank you and God bless you. SBM Answer by Rev. Mark J. Gantley, JCL on 5/5/2008: This question, which I am asked repeatedly, is a moral question, not primarily a matter of canon law. I would amend your second sentence to say, "Her son was baptized Catholic but is no longer practicing and is not having a valid marriage." That is a fact of canon law. To attend an invalid marriage is a source of scandal, as it implies approval of the attempted marriage. In such situations, I have suggested skipping the wedding ceremony and attending the reception. This will keep the door of communication open between you and the couple so that maybe some day in the future you can encourage them to convalidate the marriage and begin practicing their faith.

Can a catholic attend a non-catholic wedding ceremony?

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Catholics-955/catholic-attend-non-catholic.htm October 20, 2007 Question: I am a spiritual person who feels very close to God. I pray multiple times a day, thank God for everything in my life, both big and small, and I was raised in a Presbyterian church. I will be marrying my fianc, who was baptized Catholic, but does not attend church, and has lost his trust in Catholicism through the years, this December. The ceremony will be held at the reception site and will be conducted by an ordained, Presbyterian minister who is also a long-time friend of my family. My fiancs grandmother is a devout catholic. She has informed my fiancs father that she will not be able to attend our wedding due to her religious affiliation. My fianc is heartbroken. His grandmother has always been an important part of his life and he feels as though she is letting him down, particularly because my faith in God is so strong, and although some of our beliefs differ, we are praising the same God. Would it be at all possible for his grandmother to attend the service and still be acting in accordance with the Catholic Church? Taryn 7

Answer: It is always difficult to gauge a response based upon something as vague as "spiritual person who feels close to God" and "does not attend church, and has lost his trust in Catholicism through the years." In the first case, the description sets up the individuals own subjective experience as the "measure of a thing"; and in the second, there seems to be some implied "blame" of the institutional church for some subjective reason. Such is the times in which we live. The Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI has called this the "Dictatorship of Relativism." Objectively speaking, if your fianc is in fact a baptized Catholic, then he is objectively bound to "Canonical Form." This means to get married in a Catholic liturgical ceremony, in a Catholic Church building, by a duly authorized Catholic Priest or Deacon, in the presence of two witnesses. In the case of marrying a baptized non-Catholic, he would also need a simple "Permission for Mixed Religion." In order to get married in some other kind of ceremony and circumstances, he would need to obtain a "Dispensation from Canonical Form"; however, I gather from your description that neither of you thought it important to approach a Catholic Priest about the matter of marriage preparation, who could have easily worked with you on the matter. By implication, this tells me that your fianc has not bothered to practice his Catholic Faith, probably in a LONG time, if really EVER before. I am saddened to hear of those who claim to "lose trust" in the Catholic Church; but, I suppose at a subjective level myself, I have many experiences of having lost trust in a lot of individual Catholics. As a convert to the Catholic Faith, it never ceases to amaze me how so many infant baptized Catholics "leave" the Catholic Church without ever really knowing her teachings, doctrines, culture, and discipline. So, since I do not know all of the particulars, it is hard to say what his grandmother ought or ought not to do. I don't know whether your "Catholic" fianc is acting in good faith with good will, or if he has some deep hidden MORAL problem with some aspect of Church teaching that he is consciously and deliberately rejecting (this is common); or if he has just been plain ignorant, lazy, or negligent about his Catholic Faith his whole life, or later in life. I honestly wish that he would study and experience his objective Catholic Faith to gain a spiritual life perspective. Fr. Timothy Johnson

CATHOLICS & MARRIAGE

http://www.dioceseoflacrosse.com/ministry_resources/tribunal/Tribunal%20Online %20Files/Catholics%20And%20Marriage.doc EXTRACT The Catholic Church does not explicitly prohibit the faithful from attending weddings she would view as invalid; however, there are moral principles that must be considered. A Catholic has an obligation to avoid attending, and by doing so expressing support, for unions that could be seen as encouraging others to sin (such as a same-sex "marriage") or unions that could be seen as a source of scandal (such as a Catholic marrying before a justice of the peace, a Catholic marrying in a non-Catholic church without a dispensation from form, and/or marriages celebrated when former spouses are still living and annulments have not been granted). The way in which one responds to these invitations must serve as witness to the truths taught by Christ.

Catholic Wedding
http://www.a-to-z-of-manners-and-etiquette.com/catholic-wedding.html Wedding Ceremony - Roman Catholic A Catholic Wedding ceremony in a Roman Catholic Church may include the Sacrament of Holy Communion. This could create some confusion for the non-Catholic guests. Perhaps the priest will need to explain clearly to the guests what is expected of them as he proceeds through the Catholic wedding ceremony. Some people may feel a little intimidated or embarrassed if they sit or stand at the wrong times. Also, they do need to know they are not expected to participate in the Sacrament of Holy Communion if they are not Roman Catholics. In the Catholic Church, receiving Communion is only for any Catholic who has received the sacrament of Eucharist (known as First Holy Communion). At a Catholic wedding ceremony in a Roman Catholic church, usually, the ushers will indicate, row by row, for guests to come forward to receive communion. Simply remain in your seat if you are not Catholic or if you are Catholic and will not be participating. It is interesting to note that in most other Christian denominations, Communion is not included in the wedding ceremony; but if it is, all are usually welcome to participate (regardless of their religious affiliation or status.) 8

Catholics usually kneel to pray. You are not required to kneel, and may opt to remain seated during prayer. If the ceremony is a Nuptial Mass, it may include the priest calling for the "Sign of Peace", during which the guests turn to those near them, shake hands and say "Peace be with you" or some similar greeting. More information and background on Catholic Weddings: One of the first questions that many Catholic brides and grooms have is, "Where can a Catholic wedding take place?" Throughout the years, there have been many different opinions and ideas, and even recently, after the Second Vatican Council (Vatican II), in the 1960's, there were many changes to the laws of the Catholic Church on the matter. Prior to Vatican II, weddings where a Catholic was involved always had to take place on church property, but not always in the church building itself, unless you had proper dispensations (relaxations of the law). In fact, Catholics were not even permitted to attend the weddings of nonCatholics, as they weren't supposed to set foot into non-Catholic churches! After Vatican II, the rules began to "soften" and things began to change, and there were Catholic weddings held everywhere - from on top of bridges to within Cathedrals. The excesses became too extreme and so a new Code of Canon Law came into being in 1983, and the current norms for where marriages take place were established. Currently, where you can be married depends on the baptismal status of the two people getting married. 1) Catholic marrying a Catholic - if it is the wedding of two Catholics, then the wedding can take place in the territorial parish church (the parish in which they actually physically reside, usually the closest parish church to their place of residence) of the bride or the groom. If the parties are from different Catholic Churches (Roman and Eastern, say), then the wedding usually takes place in the parish of the bride. A wedding between two Catholics can take place nowhere other than in a Catholic parish church. It can also take place in any other Catholic parish as long as permission has been granted by the parish priest of either the bride or the groom. 2) Catholic marrying a baptized person - if the Catholic is marrying someone who is baptized, the wedding can take place in one of two places. The wedding can either take place in the territorial parish church of the Catholic party, or in the church of the non-Catholic party. In order to have the wedding in the church of the non-Catholic party, a dispensation from canonical form must be granted. This dispensation can be requested by the parish priest of the Catholic party. In such a situation, the wedding would be recognized as creating a valid, sacramental marriage, even though it did not take place in a Catholic Church. The non-Catholic minister would preside over the ceremony and the Catholic priest or deacon could be there to say a prayer or a blessing, but he would not officiate at the vows. 3) Catholic marrying a non-baptized person - if the Catholic is marrying someone who is not baptized, the wedding can take place in one of three places. The wedding can take place in the territorial parish church of the Catholic party, in the church/temple of the non-baptized party, or in "another suitable place." The term "another suitable location" is defined in each diocese by the bishop. It is not consistent around the country or the world. In some dioceses, weddings between a Catholic and a Jewish person, for example, can take place in a hotel or country club, etc. In other dioceses, it can only take place in a temple or Catholic Church. If you are in this situation, you need to contact the local chancery (diocesan head office) in your diocese to know exactly how they define "another suitable location." In order to have the wedding in the church/temple of the non-baptized party or in "another suitable location," a dispensation from canonical form must be granted. This dispensation can be requested by the parish priest of the Catholic party. In such a situation, the wedding would be recognized as creating a valid, good and natural marriage, even though it did not take place in a Catholic Church. The non-Catholic minister/rabbi/justice-of-the-peace would preside over the ceremony and the Catholic priest or deacon could be there to say a prayer or a blessing, but he would not officiate at the vows.

HELPFUL INFORMATION
Civilly Married Couples ROME, October 14, 2008 (Zenit.org) Answered by Legionary of Christ Father Edward McNamara Q: Bishop Philip Boyce of Raphoe, Ireland, once said that cohabiting couples must not receive Communion (see ZENIT, January 23, 2006). I have two related questions: 1) Are civilly married couples considered cohabiting if not married in church? 2) If a civilly married couple never married in church divorce, and one or both eventually want to get married in church with a different partner, will they be allowed to? F.N., Coquitlam, British Columbia 9

A: The answer would depend on several circumstances and on the religious status of the couple. If at least one member of the couple is Catholic, then the Church would not recognize the civil marriage as valid and the couple's status would be practically the same as a cohabiting couple. This is because positive Church law ties the validity of a Catholic wedding to following the proper canonical form. Since this is positive and not divine law the local bishop has the authority to dispense from the canonical form. This is usually granted if for some serious reason a Catholic wishes to marry according to a non-Catholic religious ritual. The dispensation is rarely, if ever, accorded when a Catholic wants to marry according to a civil ceremony. If a couple of civilly married, baptized non-Catholics were to become Catholic, then their status would depend on whether their former community recognized the validity of civil marriage or not. If their civil marriage was recognized as valid, then, in the eyes of God and the Church, that marriage would also be sacramental. This is because the Church considers that all valid marriages between baptized persons are automatically sacramental even in those cases where the particular religious community does not number matrimony among the sacraments. If a civilly married couple receive baptism, then the baptism itself transforms their valid civil marriage into a sacramental marriage and this fact is noted on the baptismal register. In both of the above cases if there is some well-grounded doubt as to the validity of the original bond (for example, if the terms of the civil wedding created a presumption against making a lifelong commitment), then the couple should be wed on entering the Catholic faith. Addressing the second question, we can say that if a Catholic had entered into an invalid civil wedding, and later divorced, in principle he or she could marry someone else in the Church. It is possible that the same rule would apply in the second situation mentioned, but each case would have to be examined on its own merits to determine the sacramental validity of the previous Christian marriage. In general the law presumes the validity of such a marriage until the contrary is proven (Canon 1060). The previous civil bond of someone who divorced before baptism would not usually constitute an obstacle to being married in the Church. If necessary, the previous marriage could be dissolved in virtue of the Pauline privilege (Canon 1143). It is important to note, however, that marriage in all of the above cases require the permission of the local bishop, especially if the person has civil obligations toward the spouse and children arising from a previous bond (Canon 1071). Likewise, before any of these weddings can take place, Canon 1085.2 requires that "the nullity or dissolution of the prior marriage is established legitimately and certainly." GUIDELINES FOR THE CELEBRATION OF THE SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE By Bishop Bosco Penha, President, Commission for Word & Worship. Archdiocese of Bombay The Examiner weeklies of December 5, 2009, December 12, 2009 and January 2, 2010 The Sacrament of Matrimony can be celebrated in the parish church of either the bride or the groom.(In Bombay archdiocese; it is usually celebrated in the bride's parish church.) It could be celebrated in another church/shrine/chapel after obtaining no objection letters from the respective Parish Priests. The date and time of the Nuptial Mass, is to be fixed in consultation with the Parish Priest, before making other arrangements like hall bookings, caterers, etc. Hence kindly meet your Parish Priest and discuss the matter with him well in advance. We do not book the Mass exclusively for one couple, i.e. if another 'couple wants to have their nuptials at the same Mass, you should be willing to cooperate and make the necessary adjustments. In case you have a close relative/friend who is a priest and you would like him to be the celebrant and/or bless' the nuptials, kindly request the priest doing your papers for permission, and do so well in advance. For the preparation and celebration of the liturgy, please note the following points: 1. When you fill in your pre-nuptial papers with the priest concerned, please discuss the liturgy with him. Keep in mind that on the Sundays of Advent, Lent, Eastertide, and other major feasts; the liturgy of the day must be followed. On a Sunday in Ordinary Time, if the nuptials take place during a scheduled Mass, the liturgy of the day must be followed, but one reading (preferably the Second) may be taken from the selection offered for Nuptial Masses. On weekdays and on Ordinary Sundays, at Masses outside the regular parish schedule, the special nuptial readings and prayers may be used. A nuptial Mass on Saturday evening after 5 p.m. fulfils the Sunday obligations, and the Choice of texts should be determined accordingly. 2. Preparing a booklet 'for' the service is not necessary: If you do choose to prepare one, please ensure that it is simple, and that it contains the outline of the service and possibly the hymns and responses that need to be 'included. Please do, not print the text of the readings, the prayers, etc. in the booklets, as these should be 10

proclaimed from the Lectionary /Missal, and the congregation should listen to them, and not follow the text from a booklet. Discuss the liturgy with the priest concerned before finalising the contents of the booklets. 3. The Readings, Prayers of the Faithful, etc. should be done by trained lectors or people with proven capacity of effectively proclaiming God's Word. Persons should not be selected merely because they are relatives, or have to be "honoured" with a role. Kindly avoid entrusting this responsibility to children. Please find out the parish policy regarding the proclamation of the Word of God, before selecting lectors for your nuptial Mass. 4. Familiarise yourself with the structure of the rite, rehearse it with the, priest, and memorise the words of the vows, if possible. Remember, these words form the essence of the rite and may not be changed or paraphrased. Please ensure that the two witnesses are at hand and come forward to actually witness the rite. (No proxy allowed!) 5. The Prayer of the Faithful should be prepared with care. The intentions should be brief and follow a standard pattern. They should include petitions for the Universal Church, the nation/'world, the couple and other local needs. It would be advisable to get the help of qualified members of the Parish Liturgy Team or other competent persons to assist in this task. The Prayer of the Faithful should not be combined with the offertory procession. 6. At the Preparation of the Gifts (formerly referred to as the" offertory"), the bread and wine for the celebration of the Eucharist may be brought forward. Other gifts that may be presented should be what is required for the needs of the Church and the poor, but not token symbolic items that will be retrieved later. The presentation of gifts is not to be accompanied by a commentary or an explanation. A hymn 'may be song as the gifts are brought up. 7. The role of the choir is to facilitate the congregation's participation. Please avoid commercial or professional choirs that tend to "perform" on these occasions. A song leader is often much more effective in leading the congregation's singing. The musicians and choristers should have .received some Liturgical training. The hymns should be chosen from a good liturgical hymnal (such as With Joyful Lips, Celebration or the SNS music sheets). They should reflect the Church's understanding of the sacrament, and not be merely sentimental, or resemble pop songs. The hymns must be approved before hand by the Parish Priest /Parish Liturgy Team. The text of the parts of the Mass (Gloria, Holy, holy, Memorial acclamation, Lamb of God etc.) should correspond with what is found in the Missal (no interpolations are to be made). If the nuptials take place during a scheduled Mass or during the Great Seasons (Advent, Lent, Christmastide, Eastertide), the hymns should be in keeping with the liturgy of the day, and not merely reflect the marriage theme. The use of secular songs is totally prohibited at the Nuptial Mass. The musical instruments used are to accompany the singing, and should therefore not be loud, rhythmic or overpowering. They should. Be played in a style that is in keeping with the nature of the liturgy. 8. Floral arrangements should be modest and not overdone. They should not impede the approach to the altar, or restrict movement in the sanctuary or obscure the altar, lectern, etc. The flowers placed in the sanctuary may not be taken away after the celebration. Flowers are not permitted during the season of Lent. During Advent, floral arrangements should be restrained and kept to the bare minimum. 9. Photography and video shooting should not spoil the liturgy or cause any distraction or disturbance or mar the sacred ness of the celebration. Only one photographer and one videographer will be permitted. The video shooting will have to be done from a fixed place, even for the entrance procession (It is extremely disrespectful for the videographer/photographer to move up the aisle with his back to the altar and tabernacle.) Photography/videography will be permitted at the following moments a) Entrance; b) the Nuptial Rite; c) the "offertory"; d) reception of Holy. Communion; e) Signing the register. Photographers and videographers who violate these rules may be debarred from rendering this service in our church in future. 10. Please ensure that those participating in the service and especially those who are coming up to the sanctuary for the readings, prayers, hymns etc. are decently attired. Remember, this is a religious ceremony. 11. Please be punctual. If your nuptials are to take place at a scheduled mass, we will begin the liturgy at the proper time, even if the bridal couple or others oft he entourage have not arrived. If the celebration of the Eucharist has commenced, the couple will have to wait in the porch/near the entrance of the church until after the Gospel proclamation is over. Late comers are to be admitted to the celebration without fanfare, and photography/videography associated with the traditional entrance procession. 12. The signing of the register is not to be done on the altar, but on a table provided for this purpose in the church or in the sacristy. After Mass, please remember that you are still in the House of God, so please ensure that proper decorum and respect is maintained. Do not treat the church as a studio. Keep in mind that there 11

may be another Mass or a service to follow after your nuptial Mass, and so we need to prepare for that celebration. These directives are for your benefit, and are meant to preserve the sanctity and joy of the celebration of the Sacrament of Marriage. Points to be kept in mind (by Priests) for-Inter-faith Marriages (Marriages of Disparity of Cult) Such a marriage is non-sacramental, but is nonetheless a valid marriage. The proper procedures should be followed with regard to paperwork and permissions. The couple should be clearly told that they cannot have a double ceremony, and the reasons for the same should be carefully explained. The Rite of Marriage as found in the Ritual for a Marriage between a Catholic and a nonbaptised person must be used (Chapter 3). Kindly note that there is no mention of the celebration of Mass for this rite, either before or after the nuptials. Instead, we have a complete service, with the Greeting, Liturgy of the Word, 'Nuptial Rite, Intercessions, Nuptial Blessing and Concluding Rite. The priest is to be vested in a surplice and stole (and cope) for the celebration (not a chasuble!) Since the family of the Catholic partner often want a Mass celebrated in conjunction with a marriage of this type, the following points should be noted:. We should first explain to the parties why the Church does not include the celebration of the Mass for this rite. If they still insist on the Eucharistic celebration, one could consider having it after the entire rite, and distinct from it. The Rite as described in, the Ritual for these marriages should be followed as spelt out there. (Note that the Pocket Ritual (Rituale Parvum) should not be used as the norm.). The Eucharist, if it is to follow, should use the texts of the Mass of the day or of Thanksgiving or Various Needs, but not the texts of the Nuptial Mass. This fact should also be kept in mind by the choir for the choice of hymns. This Mass should not have the Prayer of the Faithful or Nuptial Blessing (as these are already included in the Nuptial Rite). The different roles (lector, etc.) may only be done by Catholics. The non-Catholic party should be clearly instructed about the nature of the celebration. No other items, edible or inedible, should be distributed to the congregation before, during or after the distribution of Holy Communion. The nuptials of two Catholics should not be solemnized at this Mass. The present practice of having only the vows and blessing/exchange of rings before Mass, and including the other items of the Nuptial Rite during the Mass, should be discontinued.

Are you charismatic or Catholic?

http://www.catholicapologetics.info/modernproblems/currenterrors/Charism.htm By Raymond Taouk EXTRACT As Bishop Louis LaRavoire Morrow, S.T.D points out, "A Catholic sins against Faith by taking part in non-Catholic worship, because he thus professes belief in a religion he knows to be false." This is because participation in Non Catholic worship has always been forbidden (See Canons 1258,1063,2319,1325 of the 1917 code of Canon Law). http://www.zenit.org/article-16305?l=english ROME, June 13, 2006 (Zenit.org) EXTRACT Another reader, a priest from Winnipeg, Manitoba, broached another point: "You mentioned recently that 'one may attend a relative's ordination as an Episcopal minister.' I've always appreciated the old practice of not attending an invalid marriage because of the witness value of attending. Since an Episcopal ordination does not produce a valid priest, would the attendance of a Catholic imply an approval of some sort? And if not, perhaps if the person submitting to the rite is a lapsed Catholic, it would be better if the Catholic did not attend." I do not believe the two situations are perfectly parallel. Attending a ceremony involving an invalid marriage can signify approval for a couple entering into an objectively sinful state. Attending, for a just cause, an Episcopalian ordination or analogous installation ceremonies for Protestant ministers does not imply any recognition of their sacramental validity and is simply a gesture of friendship or family ties. I agree, however, that some particular circumstances, such as the ordination of a lapsed Catholic, would make it inadvisable for a Catholic to attend such a ceremony. No matter how much respect we may have for the sincere faith of other Christians, no Catholic could approve or view positively a person's publicly abandoning the Catholic faith, which we believe to be the fullness of Christ's Church, by becoming a minister in another Christian community. DISCUSSION IN KONKANI CATHOLICS [KC] Edited for grammar, punctuation and relevance Posted by Austine Crasta, moderator, January 4, 2011: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/KonkaniCatholics/message/23591 FROM THE CIRCULAR OF THE BISHOP OF MANGALORE, JANUARY 2011: "The formation of Youth is of very great importance. You know very well that our Youth are going astray in faith life. This affects the personal life too. At very young age our boys and girls are getting employed and are living out of home and are invariably living among peer groups. 12

Many of our educated boys and girls get into friendship with non Christian companions and enter into marriage even without any regard to religion. This situation brings about lot of pain to the parents and to us too. Of late many Youths suffer from mental imbalances due to pressure of work and tension since religious sentiments are not given proper inputs and the Youth are not able to withstand bad influences. The number of marriage cases of disparity of cult and mixed marriages and the applications for annulments and civil divorce are on an increase. We are really surprised when our boys and girls just don't mind marrying in the temple or before the civil registrar without any regard to church marriages. Due to the pressure of the parents they agree to have the marriage in the church just to please them but invariably go to the temple to temple marriage to please the spouse. This shows that we are failing in guiding the Youth right from their tender age. This could be due to lack of priorities in our Parish Pastoral ministry. The Parish Pastoral councils are busy with erecting new buildings, raising funds and making use of the associations to amass fund. Today we realize that Youth ministry in the parish is more important than any of our social activities." Better late then never. What is mentioned in the circular is right, and we need to act now. The foundations are disturbed, and the culture of "Anything chalta hai" is creeping in. Religion is treated as outdated, modernism is creeping in. What people are forgetting is that God is the creator and has set certain rules (an instruction manual) for us to follow. We keep modifying the manuals, e.g. If you modify the tyres of a car with checking with the manufacturer, your car is bound to meet with accident. The other thing is this wrong interpretation of Ecumenism. An impression is created that all roads lead to heaven, that religions are man-made and that all religions lead to one God Joseph L R Vaz, Goa http://groups.yahoo.com/group/KonkaniCatholics/message/23594 I met a priest at my friends place. In our conversation regarding mixed marriages the priest said its fine for the Catholic party to attend the ceremony in a temple after getting married in the church just to please the other party. He said the Catholic party should understand that the rituals in the temple are a joke and wont affect our faith. My conscience was deeply disturbed as I felt participating in any rituals of the pagans was against the First Commandment of God which says "You shall not carve idols for yourself in the shape of anything in the sky above or on the earth below or in the waters beneath the earth; you shall not bow down before them or worship them." Exodus 20:4-5, New American Bible. Joannes Rodrigues, Mangalore http://groups.yahoo.com/group/KonkaniCatholics/message/23595 I totally agree with you, Joannes. When the Lord commanded us not to indulge in pagan worship, why should we? Why is the Catholic Church so lax about this? Sometimes I really feel the believers are much better. They just refuse to indulge in such things. Why is our Catholic Church trying to make others happy instead of obeying what Christ wants us to do? Norisha FernandesDSouza, Mumbai http://groups.yahoo.com/group/KonkaniCatholics/message/23596 Dear Joannes and Norisha, Presence and participation ("indulge") need not always be the same. And the "believers" do not always get this difference. But the point that was completely missed here was this: In the case of a Mixed Marriage involving a Catholic and non-Christian, it is FORBIDDEN BY THE CATHOLIC CHURCH (Canon 1129) to have any duplicate religious ceremony, such as marriage in the temple, EITHER BEFORE OR AFTER the canonical celebration of marriage. In other words, any duplicate religious marriage ceremony, whether performed in the temple, house, hall, or a club OR even one performed together by the Catholic and non-Catholic officiant is FORBIDDEN BY CANON LAW and should not be encouraged by the presence of friends and relatives! From the number of such ceremonies that I see happening around me, I do not know whether those entering into mixed marriages with the necessary dispensation, are aware of this. If they are, they ought to show the same courage in standing up for their faith (the dangers of defecting from which, they promised to remove, at the time of seeking a dispensation) as they did when resisting family and society pressure in most cases. Austine Crasta, moderator, Mangalore http://groups.yahoo.com/group/KonkaniCatholics/message/23597 Dear All, As far as mixed marriages are concerned, the Church has always wanted to protect the faithful from lapsing because of a marriage with someone from a different denomination, and more so from a different religion (disparity of cult). 13

This goes back to St. Paul who when addressing the Corinthians speaks of "do not harness yourselves in an uneven yoke with unbelievers. The temple of God has no common ground with idols" (2 Corinthians 6:16). Note that when Paul speaks of "temple" in Corinthians, he is referring to the baptised. This is not to be confused with what Paul says when speaking of the spouse of the believer, despite being an unbeliever would be sanctified through the believer (this was in case of some already married who became Christian). However, the Church did allow marriages with other religions albeit with many conditions and reservations- this can be traced back to the prohibition in the Old Testament for the Jews from marrying the gentiles. During Vatican Council II, the CDF's instruction on mixed marriages is very clear about the Church's stand with regards mixed marriages. In his Apostolic Letter on mixed marriages Pope Paul VI speaks of the possibility of dispensation "for a just cause" when the Catholic party is willing to remove dangers of falling away from the faith and do all in his/her power to have all the children baptised and brought up in the Catholic Church. The ways of ensuring this was left to Bishops' conferences. There is also an exhortation to the Bishops and parish priests to see that spiritual assistance is not lacking for the Catholic party. The emphasis of the Church has been always to protect the faith of the baptised and the fact that to get married with a non-Catholic one needs a dispensation should already set alarm bells ringing, i.e., there is a serious problem here. Sometimes I think that there is a tendency to mix love with sentiments and this gives rise to all the problems. Believe me, by the grace of God I have been happily ordained and serving as a priest for the last six years and the problem of many priests is that they mix the two up and think that they are "loving" their parishioners by being lenient. As a matter of fact the present Pope has been stressing on the fact that one cannot love without being in the truth. As Austine was saying the problem with the clergy is not faith but knowledge of the Church's teachings. This was also what St. Theresa of Avila said, "I prefer a priest who lacks humility to one who is humble but ignorant." Fr Caesar Rego, Taiwan, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/KonkaniCatholics/message/23604

Withholding Communion at Mass

http://www.zenit.org/article-16953?l=english ROME, September 12, 2006 (Zenit.org) Answered by Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy at the Regina Apostolorum university. Q: I was at a Catholic wedding where the priest only gave the holy Eucharist to the two newlyweds. Later I found out that he did this because he feared a mixed congregation -- some who might not be Catholic or who might be in the state of mortal sin -- and didn't want to risk giving the holy Eucharist to such a person. However, there were many faithful there who felt hurt and offended that we couldn't receive the Eucharist. Was this an appropriate action on the part of the priest? J.S., St. Louis, Missouri A: While the priest showed commendable respect and reverence for the Eucharist, I do not believe he acted correctly in this case. In diverse societies such as the United States, celebrations such as weddings and funerals almost always convene people of many stripes and different faiths. Therefore the danger of someone incorrectly receiving Communion is very real. But it is not a new problem, and parishes across the country have found many viable solutions. In some cases the pastor or another person makes an appropriate announcement either before Mass or before Communion. This announcement tactfully explains that, because it is central to our faith, Communion is reserved to Catholics in the state of grace. Another means is to clearly print the requirements for Communion and distribute it to those present or even include it in the special booklets that are usually prepared on occasion of weddings. If he has taken appropriate steps to inform those present of the importance of receiving Communion in the state of grace, then responsibility for an unworthy Communion falls exclusively upon the conscience of the person who receives it. It is not the priest's task to take pre-emptive action against possible offenses against the Eucharist by limiting the distribution of the sacrament. Also, the priest should not deprive the faithful who are in the state of grace of the opportunity of fully participating in the Sacrifice of the Mass by receiving Communion. In doing so, he unjustly deprives them of their rights as baptized Catholics. In conclusion, I offer an excerpt from a sample text to be printed in participation aids. This very 14

useful (document is published by the U.S. bishops' Committee on the Liturgy. "Guidelines for the Reception of Communion "For Catholics "As Catholics, we fully participate in the celebration of the Eucharist when we receive Holy Communion. We are encouraged to receive Communion devoutly and frequently. In order to be properly disposed to receive Communion, participants should not be conscious of grave sin and normally should have fasted for one hour. A person who is conscious of grave sin is not to receive the Body and Blood of the Lord without prior sacramental confession except for a grave reason where there is no opportunity for confession. In this case, the person is to be mindful of the obligation to make an act of perfect contrition, including the intention of confessing as soon as possible (canon 916). A frequent reception of the Sacrament of Penance is encouraged for all. "For Other Christians "We welcome our fellow Christians to this celebration of the Eucharist as our brothers and sisters. We pray that our common baptism and the action of the Holy Spirit in this Eucharist will draw us closer to one another and begin to dispel the sad divisions which separate us. We pray that these will lessen and finally disappear, in keeping with Christ's prayer for us 'that they may all be one' (Jn 17:21). "Because Catholics believe that the celebration of the Eucharist is a sign of the reality of the oneness of faith, life, and worship, members of those churches with whom we are not yet fully united are ordinarily not admitted to Holy Communion. Eucharistic sharing in exceptional circumstances by other Christians requires permission according to the directives of the diocesan bishop and the provisions of canon law (canon 844 4). Members of the Orthodox Churches, the Assyrian Church of the East, and the Polish National Catholic Church are urged to respect the discipline of their own Churches. According to Roman Catholic discipline, the Code of Canon Law does not object to the reception of communion by Christians of these Churches (canon 844 3). "For Those Not Receiving Communion "All who are not receiving Holy Communion are encouraged to express in their hearts a prayerful desire for unity with the Lord Jesus and with one another. "For Non-Christians "We also welcome to this celebration those who do not share our faith in Jesus Christ. While we cannot admit them to Holy Communion, we ask them to offer their prayers for the peace and the unity of the human family." See the article RELATIONSHIP TO NON-CHRISTIAN RELIGIONS www.ephesians-511.net michaelprabhu@vsnl.net

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