A priest as the best man?

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CyrilSebastian

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Can a Roman Catholic priest be a best man at a Catholic wedding Mass?
 
I can’t imagine the answer being ‘no’! Priests are friends, brothers, sons, uncles… they’re people, too! 🙂
 
If my best man was a priest, I would want him to perform the marriage. 😃
 
“Best Man” is just a social custom, isn’t it? What the Church requires are two witnesses I thought - who are other than the Church’s minister (priest or deacon). Not sure why a priest who wasn’t the presider couldn’t be a witness.
 
We had a priest be my one sons confirmation sponsor, so I don;t see any reason that I can think of why he could not be the best man.

Peace,

John
 
anilorak13ska said:
I would hope any Catholic groom’s bachelor party to be tame 🙂
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Oh good grief, I don’t exactly want to hijack the thread, but what do ya’ll mean when you say “tame”? I know a few good, holy priests who would love to be a part of a “rowdy” bachelor party. Not saying everyone gets drunk or anything like that (I would not advocate that) - but good priests should still know how to be a part of a good party…

To address the actual question, I have wondered this myself, including the context of me being the priest. However, I would echo the sentiments of the poster who said, if I had a priest who was my best friend, I would want him to officiate the wedding! I don’t know of any prohibition on priest being best men. I’ll be looking for some other responses.
 
As others had mentioned, “best man” is a social custom.

If it was a Catholic wedding, the priest could celebrate the Nuptial Mass. At the reception, he could take the social role of best man by offering a toast, and whatever else a best man does (except the “garter” thing they’re doing now, that’s just trashy and doesn’t belong at any wedding).

If it wasn’t a Catholic wedding, but was still canonically licit (with neither member being Catholic, or with dispensation from the Ordinary), the priest could stand with the other witnesses to the marriage. I don’t think it’d be wise for Father to lay aside clerical garb for a tuxedo at this point: Perhaps this would be a good situation for the priest to wear a cassock.
 
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