In many cases — at least in this country — a marriage can be
recognized both by church and state. While the state sets the legal
requirements for the wedding, a church sets additional standards
and requirements for the marriage to be recognized as sacred.
In Catholicism, marriage constitutes one of the sacraments of
faith. Consequently, the Catholic Church has its own nonnegotiable
requirements for a marriage that's recognized in the eyes of the
church.
Interestingly enough, location constitutes
one of the most important elements of the Catholic wedding.
Although outdoor weddings are increasingly popular, they simply
can't be recognized by the Catholic Church. The reason is, Catholicism
holds that the purpose of the wedding ceremony is to seek God's
blessing and presence in your marriage, and to do that, the wedding
must take place within sacred walls. It's easy to see how Catholicism
would have drawn a clear line between Catholic weddings and more
pagan affairs long ago, using these guidelines. An outdoor wedding
will be perfectly legal, but not recognized by any Catholic Church.
Despite these strictures, the Catholic wedding
doesn't require a Mass to be part of the ceremony. A union
performed in a church by Catholic priest, whether or not it features
a full Mass, will still be completely recognized. Still, many couples
opt for the full Mass, both for the additional blessings received
during the ceremony, and the chance to include family and friends
in a fuller expression of their faith.
A wedding including a full Mass can last slightly over an hour,
while a wedding without one may last only about 20 minutes — a
period that can simply feel too short. The shorter version will
include readings, psalms, hymns, and blessings from the priest,
but not a celebration of the Eucharist.
Another unique aspect of the Catholic wedding
is how former marriages must be annulled before the couple can marry
within the church. Even if the previous marriage didn't qualify
to be recognized by the church, an annulment is still required before
the current one can take place. A legal divorce decree doesn't suffice
here. Instead, the formerly married bride or groom will need to
seek an annulment through the church asserting that the previous
marriage was invalid. The time for processing an annulment varies,
but most are completed within 16 months at a cost of about $500.
(It's important to mention that annulments are in no way guaranteed,
but are merely considered.)
Music in a Catholic wedding is also a matter
of deep tradition. While religious music is naturally preferred,
many churches nonetheless will consider secular music, so long as
the priest is willing to approve it before the wedding. While time
has given us many sublime musical choices, only some of them religious,
it's important to remember that priests are understandably hesitant
to play secular music within God's domain. The average priest will
be more than careful to ensure that any secular music you suggest
will be totally appropriate and incapable of offending any guests.
If you want the smoothest sailing, you may want to avoid asking
for secular music in your Catholic wedding.
An additional requirement of the Catholic
Church is that couples attend premarital counseling sessions, sometimes
referred to as Pre-Cana. Most couples find Pre-Cana quite
worthwhile. It gives them a forum for talking about and even resolving
potentially serious issues before the wedding takes place. This
time-honored tradition goes a long way toward ensuring that the
couple's a good match, with a good chance at a lasting union. Sessions
are usually hosted and moderated by a priest, and sometimes include
young married couples who can testify to both the bitter and sweet
of marriage. Pre-Cana sessions can be either individual or group-based.
They may involve weeks or months of sessions, or simply one intensive
weekend.
It may surprise you to learn that both members
of a couple don't have to be Catholic for their wedding to be recognized
by the Catholic Church. It is required, though, that at least
one member be Catholic and active in the church. The non-Catholic
party is still required to participate in Pre-Cana counseling, and
both parties, whether Catholic or not, need to have prior marriages
annulled before they can marry in the church.
To sum up, in order for a marriage to be recognized within the
Catholic Church you'll need to meet certain requirements, including
location, musical traditions, annulments of prior marriages, sanctioned
premarital counseling sessions, and a level of activity and good
standing within the church.
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There is a new certificate required by the Catholic church to show that you have never been married before. The Catholic churchis aware of these certificates. I am Ukrainian Greed Orthodox, and I am wondering if the UGO church has some kind of certificate specifically for this or would I use the Catholic certificate signed by my priest?
Ok, here is the deal. I was married 18 years. I’m Catholic, X isn’t. We had a cermony on our 5th wedding aniversary. No music, no classes. Just 15 minutes of I do. I want to re-marry in the Chruch. Do I need an annulment?
OK, so do I have to get an annulment for a marriage performed at a clerk of courts between a Catholic and a non-Catholic Christian with only the clerk present and no other witnesses? I was not Catholic at the time, my ex was and now I have become Catholic. I do want to remarry in the Church.
You do need to get the anulment but the church does not recognize a courthouse wedding so the cost is really low and it only takes about a month. talk to your pastor they will have all of the paperwork.
Hey Tayla: No, annulments are only for marriages had through the church.
Just a quick question… What if both parties had children from previous relationships but were never married legally or through the church? Would they still need to be nulled? Also, if an ex of one of the parties had already passed away, what then?
In your Catholic section, you might want to add that in the Catholic Church, marriage is intended to be permanent, exclusive, and open to procreation. If either party is seriously holding back on the commitment of one-man-one-woman-til-death, and OK with having kids, then —priest or no priest— that couple’s wedding is “null” — they’re not married in the eyes of the church.