It's wedding season, and I have a marriage to witness every weekend from now until the end of August. This past Saturday's was about as easy is could be: just the ceremony (no Mass), no dreaded "unity candle," no procession to Our Lady's Altar to offer her flowers, no other bonus features.
In fact, the wedding was especially short, because the couple left before it was over!
For the marriage rite outside of Mass, the intercessions are folded into the Nuptial Blessing, which begins after the blessing and giving of rings. So, I had this couple offer each other their consent, which they did quite beautifully, I have to say, blessed their rings and had them put them on. Then there was an applause for the newly married couple.
I looked down at my ritual to page up the Nuptial Blessing, but when I looked up, the couple was already walking down the aisle. I looked up to the choir loft and saw the organist shrugging his shoulders and wondering what to do. I motioned to him to start playing the recessional. I guessed that the marriage was valid (help me out canonist readers!) and not wanting to mess up their video, I let them go.
As long as you asked for the manifestation of the consent of the parties and received it in the name of the church, you should be ok. Although the Eastern Churches require a blessing by the priest for validity, the Latin Church does not.
ReplyDeleteBr. James, OFM Cap.
Excellent! That's my canonical counselor, clearing my conscience yet again!
ReplyDelete