Marriage
God who created us out of love also calls us to love – this is the fundamental and innate vocation of every human being.
For we are created in the image and likeness of God who is love. The mutual love of man and woman becomes an image of the absolute and unfailing love with which God loves humanity.
Marriage is an “intimate community of life and love … established by the Creator… God himself is the author of marriage.” Gaudium et Spes 48. This communion of spouses is ordered to the good of the spouses and the good of children.
Marriage between Baptised persons is a Sacrament.
A Catholic Wedding
Cultural ideas of marriage are shaped by popular movies and televised royal weddings.
Couples want their marriage ceremony to be unique and personal. The Bride and Groom often expect to be able to prepare their own marriage ceremony, including writing their own vows and using songs that are personal
However, Marriage in the Church is not the private celebration of the couple or their families and friends. The Rite of Marriage is an Official Ritual of the Church, so the Church regulates its celebration.
The priest or deacon who celebrates the wedding will help prepare the couple for the marriage, complete the necessary documentation and prepare the wedding ceremony.
Why Marry in a Catholic Church?
The question of where to hold the wedding is an important one which couples need to talk about together.
Sometimes couples want to be married in a church because of social pressure or family tradition.
These are not sufficient reasons in themselves for choosing a church wedding.
A church is
Venues Available for Weddings
You can choose to marry at any of our Churches within the Parish; St Mary’s, Beaudesert; St John the Baptist, Tamborine Mountain; St Margaret Mary’s, Canungra; St Patrick’s, Tamborine Village; St John’s, Kerry; St James’ Palen Creek; Sacred Heart, Christmas Creek; St Joseph’s, Rathdowney; amd St Joseph’s, O’Reilly’s.
Or you can also choose to marry in a place other than the church. For instance; wedding chapels, old churches, parks, private property ect. depending on your circumstances. Please contact the Parish Office for further enquires.
Catholic Wedding Structure
The Catholic Rite of Marriage is structured as follows:
1. Introductory Rites
After the entrance procession, the minister greets and welcomes the people and prays the
2. Liturgy of the Word
A reading from Scripture is followed by the singing of a Psalm and the reading of the Gospel. Then in the h
3. Liturgy of Marriage
After an introduction and some questions addressed to the couple, they declare their consent to marry.
This is followed by the Blessing and exchange of rings, and Prayers of Intercession. The Nuptial Blessing and Lord’s Prayer follow.
4. Liturgy of Eucharist
If the marriage is celebrated during Mass, the Liturgy of the Eucharist follows. It incorporates the Lord’s Prayer and Nuptial Blessing.
5. Concluding Rites
The priest blesses the couple and the people. The marriage register is signed.
Within the structure of the ceremony you are able to choose Readings, Prayers, and music to make your marriage a uniquely special celebration.
There are also decisions to be made about how you enter the church in the entrance procession, where you stand, how your family and friends will be involved in the celebration, and so on.
Preparing for Marriage
Entering into marriage is one of the biggest decisions anybody makes in his or her lifetime.
The Church strongly recommends that couples undertake some kind of formal preparation for marriage to help them understand the nature of marriage and the many human complexities of married life.
There are several options for marriage preparation available in the Archdiocese of Brisbane:
Pre-Marriage Education Group Courses and
Preparation materials are available through Liturgy Brisbane.
Engaged Encounter (usually over a weekend)
SmartLoving (able to be completed online)
A couple can discuss these options with the priest who is officiating at their wedding.
It is advisable to plan to do the marriage preparation six months before the wedding.
Support
Once a couple is married they are not “on their own”. As well as the support of Prayer and the Sacraments, couples can find support in various ways in their local parish community.
Voluntary groups offer a range of marriage enrichment experiences or ongoing meetings in groups aimed at developing the spirituality of marriage.
Available in the Archdiocese of Brisbane is Marriage Encounter.
There
Frequently Asked Questions
What Do We Need To Do?
If you decide to m
Contact the Parish Centre to meet with the priest.
What Do We Need To Provide?
You will need to provide:
- Birth Certificate
- Baptismal Certificate if Catholic (obtainable from the parish where you were Baptised)
- Evidence of death or annulment if you have been married before.
It is the responsibility of the priest to ascertain that a couple is free to marry.
This may involve considerations of Church Law as well as secular law.
What if a Catholic is Marrying a Person Who is Not a Catholic?
When a Catholic marries a Christian from another church or a non-Christian in a Catholic Church, the priest is required to complete an application for the necessary permission or dispensation.
Catholic partners are asked to promise to do all in their power to share their Faith with their children by having them Baptised and brought up in the Catholic Church.
The Catholic partner must inform the other partner of this promise and sign the declaration.
No promise is required of the other partner.
The Minister of the non-Catholic partner may be invited to participate in the celebration of the marriage in a Catholic Church, for example, by reading from the Scriptures, leading a prayer, or Blessing the couple.
