Beach weddings allowed?

[Madaglan]

Last time I checked, beach weddings were out of the question for Catholic weddings; Catholic weddings must be held in a church. Does anybody know of a case which a Catholic wedding was held on a beach?

The reason I ask is someone I know who is Catholic and whose girlfriend (now wife) I’m almost certain is Catholic, who just recently got married, and on a beach, from what I’ve been told.

 

[pyropam]

Friends of mine did the same thing. They had a beach wedding ceremony where all their friends and family attended… Secretly, they had been married by the Priest earlier that morning in the Church.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

I think it requires specific permission from the bishop. I haven’t heard of any bishops who have given permission.

 

[grandfather]

I think it requires specific permission from the bishop. I haven’t heard of any bishops who have given permission.

There was a wedding last year performed by a bishop about half a mile from the beach in a cow pasture. The guests sat on hay bales. The bishop swung by after playing a quick 18 holes.

 

[grandfather]

There was a wedding last year performed by a bishop about half a mile from the beach in a cow pasture. The guests sat on hay bales. The bishop swung by after playing a quick 18 holes.

forgot to mention this was in a diocese that paid out tens of millions in settlement money.

 

[LilyM]

There was a wedding last year performed by a bishop about half a mile from the beach in a cow pasture. The guests sat on hay bales. The bishop swung by after playing a quick 18 holes.

And? What on earth does settlement money have to do with any of the concerns raised in this thread?

If I could get married on my beloved parent’s farm, which farm I love dearly as well, I’d consider it an honour, and it WOULD be an honour, even if I and the guests did end up having to sit on haybales! As for the Bishop, he certainly doesnt have to justify to you his giving of permission for such a wedding.

And point me to the canon or scripture passage that prohibits Bishops or anyone else from playing golf - clearly you think he should have been fasting on bread and water for three days beforehand or something?

Jesus had something to say about the Pharisees who criticised Him for enjoying Himself … come to think of it didn’t he say how when the bridegroom is around the guests will feast?

 

[grandfather]

And? What on earth does settlement money have to do with any of the concerns raised in this thread?

 

[1ke]

Last time I checked, beach weddings were out of the question for Catholic weddings; Catholic weddings must be held in a church. Does anybody know of a case which a Catholic wedding was held on a beach?

Canon Law requires Catholics to marry in the parish church of the bride or the groom. They can marry in another church or oratory with the permission of their priest. They can marry in “another suitable place” only with the permission of the bishop.

So, it is possible that a dispensation was given, but extremely unlikely. It’s pretty rare.

The reason I ask is someone I know who is Catholic and whose girlfriend (now wife) I’m almost certain is Catholic, who just recently got married, and on a beach, from what I’ve been told.

Well, since you were not in attendance and don’t know the particulars, perhaps it’s best to-- in charity-- give them the benefit of the doubt until or unless facts are presented that it is an invalid attempt at marriage.

 

[1ke]

Friends of mine did the same thing. They had a beach wedding ceremony where all their friends and family attended… Secretly, they had been married by the Priest earlier that morning in the Church.

This is illicit on several counts.

 

[ethelzguy]

forgot to mention this was in a diocese that paid out tens of millions in settlement money.

What does that have to do with anything?

Playing golf results in settlement payments?

 

[ethelzguy]

There is a connection between disregarding or flaunting Church law, such as the law to hold weddings in churches, and the moral law. This particular bishop was a bishop when a particular priest in the diocese was discovered to be raping boys. The priest ended up with a 14 year sentence to the pentientiary. He was reassigned to rape more boys. There were quite a few similar cases.

You have documentation for all of this, or are we talking heresay?

Right! The same couple were living together for several years. The local priest told them that they needed to live apart until they were properly married. He said he would not marry them until they obeyed Church law. The bishop told them to disregard the priest and the law. It was not a problem. Laws are made to be broken, after all.

You know all this to be fact?

He plays every Monday and Tuesday on his days off. There are no Masses on those days so he can get to the Country Club.

And your point?

He also fasted forty days and went to the Cross, come to think of it. Honestly, do you think Jesus would have played golf twice a week at the club? The bishop had a big hot tub installed at the rectory. Do you think Jesus would hang out in a hot tub with his pals, maybe throw in a couple of ladies with bikinis?

A Bishop can’t have a hot tub to relax in? And do you have specific knowledge that he has bikini-clad women in there with him?

The accusations I see so freely thrown out there against our clergy just amazes me.

I have to wonder how some of you will be judged when your turn comes.

 

[kage_ar]

Assume they did the right thing.

Ask your friend “hey, what was the process like to gain the Bishop’s permission to marry on the beach?”

 

[benedictgal]

Masses of this type certainly need the permission of the local Ordniary. According to Redemptionis Sacramentum:

Chapter V
CERTAIN OTHER MATTERS CONCERNING THE EUCHARIST

1. The Place for the Celebration of Holy Mass
   [108.] “The celebration of the Eucharist is to be carried out in a sacred place, unless in a particular case necessity requires otherwise. In this case the celebration must be in a decent place”.197 The diocesan Bishop shall be the judge for his diocese concerning this necessity, on a case-by-case basis.
   [109.] It is never lawful for a Priest to celebrate in a temple or sacred place of any non-Christian religion.

So, not only does Canon Law speak to this issues, so does Redemptionis Sacramentum (even though it doesn’t specify weddings, but, common sense would indicate that nuptial liturgies would also fall under this category).

 

[stbruno]

The only time I have ever seen something done like this is when people use a rent-a-priest for their services. These men are former priests who are currently married and no longer have faculties. None of these marriages are recognized by the Catholic church. They are not registered at any parish…but the men will use the Catholic rite. People are duped. Just plug in rent-a-priest in your search engine and check it out. It’s sad…and these men make a living out of providing these so-called services.

 

[grandfather]

Originally Posted by LilyM

You have documentation for all of this, or are we talking heresay?

It happened in my parish. The priest went to prison. A subsequent pastor there was charged and was removed from active ministry. The archdiocese lawsuit was settled and both were part of the settlement. It is common knowledge.

Right! The same couple were living together for several years. The local priest told them that they needed to live apart until they were properly married. He said he would not marry them until they obeyed Church law. The bishop told them to disregard the priest and the law. It was not a problem. Laws are made to be broken, after all.

You know all this to be fact?

I do. I know the family for twenty five years. I know the priest who turned them down. I know the bishop who performed the wedding in the middle of the cow pies. I was at the wedding.

He plays every Monday and Tuesday on his days off. There are no Masses on those days so he can get to the Country Club.

And your point?

Nero fiddles while Rome burns.

A Bishop can’t have a hot tub to relax in? And do you have specific knowledge that he has bikini-clad women in there with him?

WWJD

I have to wonder how some of you will be judged when your turn comes.

I shudder!

 

[JimR-OCDS]

I attended a Mass held on the beach at our neighbors camp. We had the Mass on Labor Day, before we kicked off our party.

The priest who said the Mass, spent 23 years in the Soviet Gulag, where the communist cut off his thumbs, so he couldn’t say Mass.

I think this priest had a pretty good idea where Mass could be said or not.

I’m glad I was able to attend a Mass said by this holy man.

Jim

 

[ethelzguy]

I do. I know the family for twenty five years. I know the priest who turned them down. I know the bishop who performed the wedding in the middle of the cow pies. I was at the wedding.

Then, I must ask…if you knew this situation to be so flawed, why did you attend?

 

[LilyM]

This is illicit on several counts.

Probably not - in most parts of Europe couples are obliged to have a civil ceremony, presided over by the local judge or mayor or some such, separate to any religious ceremony or celebrant they may choose to have.

Nothing wrong with the procedure of separate civil and religious ceremonies at all - unless the beach wedding was presided over by a priest, perhaps, although we don’t know that such was the case.