Deirdre and James were married yesterday!
They both sing in our choir.
They chose to have their wedding in the Extraordinary Form, I tend to be in favour of things EF but the wedding rite is so perfunctory, almost rude in its beginning, not even the Sign of the Cross but straight into, "Will you take ...", I was tempted to persuade them to opt for the Novus Ordo. I didn't but we did have a Missa Cantata with incense.
It was a very sober affair, just over a dozen guests, both their families are Irish, a few other parishioners, four people in the choir loft, me and the servers.
What struck me, as with other old rite acts, it was God that did it, He married them not me, in the case of Deirdre's and James' wedding it was the Eucharist the joined them together.
I have a theory that ancient times the simple act of coming to Mass as a couple or presenting themselves for a blessing together actually was the Church's rite of marriage in many places.
4 comments:
I understood that the *ministers* of the Sacrament are the couple themselves - they marry each other rather than the priest marrying them The priest is there to give the nuptial blessing and, I suppose, nowadays to register the legalities. It is a great delight to officiate at such a happy occasion!
I wouldn't be supprised if you were correct, if my sources are accurate we didn't develop a seperate Liturgy for the Sacrament of Marriage until the 9th Century. People were civilly married and then came to Church asking the Priest's Blessing.
As it is the couple who confer the Sacrament upon each other Cannon Law (I Believe) states that if no Priest can be found for a long time i.e in such a case as the undeground Catholics in Japan who were without Priests for centuries) then the presence of a Priest is not necessary.
However as I am not a Priest (yet) please don't take my word for it.
Father,
You should take a leaf out of Valle Adurni's book and celebrate the Sarum Use wedding rite - a very inspiring liturgy!
J
Hmm, I would appreciate it if someone can explain what is different in the "EF form (?") of Marriage.
As far as my hubby and I are concerned we pledged our marriage vows to each other in 1994 so what is the difference?
Pax
Victoria Mildew
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(BST 23.34pm 20th August 2010)
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