Can Deacons officiate at weddings?

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UnworthySoul

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I’ve been looking around the 'net and have seen numerous sites claiming to be Catholic that seem to allude to (or outright state) that you can request to have a Deacon conduct your wedding. Is this true? I was under the impression that while Deacons perform ministries for the sick and for prisoners (as Ministers of the Word), as well as officiating at funerals, they are not allowed to conduct a wedding service.

Note: I’m not getting married, heh, I’m almost 30 years old and it’s become pretty obvious that this sacrament is going to happen for me. I’m just curious as the things I’ve seen online seem to suggest something I thought was not possible.

Thanks in advance!
 
deacons can witness and facilitate the sacrament of matrimony. that just means that if it is only the deacon, the sacrament takes place outside of the context of the Eucharistic liturgy. celebrating Matrimony during a Mass is now the common practice, but it doesn’t have to be.
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UnworthySoul:
Note: I’m not getting married, heh, I’m almost 30 years old and it’s become pretty obvious that this sacrament is going to happen for me. I’m just curious as the things I’ve seen online seem to suggest something I thought was not possible.
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don’t give up too soon! there are plenty of women looking to find a marriable man. make sure to act like one and that everyone knows, and they’ll wind up noticing you. you may not fall in love right away, but getting noticed keeps you from giving up. when it’s right, the Holy Spirit tells you to fall in love with each other. that’s how i look at it. old guys get married too!
 
Yes, I think it’s fine. The ministers of the sacrament of matrimony are the couple being married. The priest or deacon serves as the church’s official witness (and also as the state’s official witness, since he will sign the marriage license).

I’ve not been to such a wedding myself, but I’ve heard of deacons officiating at weddings that friends of mine have attended.

Of course the wedding with a deacon would not be a Mass.
 
Canon 1111 §1 As long as they validly hold office, the local Ordinary and the parish priest can delegate to priests and deacons the faculty, even the general faculty, to assist at marriages within the confines of their territory.

§2 In order that the delegation of the faculty to assist at marriages be valid, it must be expressly given to specific persons; if there is question of a special delegation, it is to be given for a specific marriage; if however there is question of a general delegation, it is to be given in writing.

Canon 1112 §1 Where there are no priests and deacons, the diocesan Bishop can delegate lay persons to assist at marriages, if the Episcopal Conference has given its prior approval and the permission of the Holy See has been obtained.

§2 A suitable lay person is to be selected, capable of giving instruction to those who are getting married, and fitted to conduct the marriage liturgy properly.
 
Wow, seems I have a bit more learning to do. Thanks for the swift replies!

As regards marriage, I just don’t know. For a time I thought I felt a call to Orders of some sort. I asked a priest about it, and he kind of beat around the bush without answering me. Rather disheartening, that. I got the feeling he didn’t like my past military service when I brought that up. Anyway, he basically told me there were other ways to serve as opposed to Orders.

My next intent is to try and see if there are any duties I can perform at my local church. Anything at all really. Heck, I’ll mop the floors if that’s what they need.

Anyway, I’m rambling a bit. Sorry about that, that experience just kind of rubbed me the wrong way, and still rankles a bit. Thanks again for the replies!

Pax Vobiscum!
 
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UnworthySoul:
Wow, seems I have a bit more learning to do. Thanks for the swift replies!

As regards marriage, I just don’t know. For a time I thought I felt a call to Orders of some sort. I asked a priest about it, and he kind of beat around the bush without answering me. Rather disheartening, that. I got the feeling he didn’t like my past military service when I brought that up. Anyway, he basically told me there were other ways to serve as opposed to Orders.

My next intent is to try and see if there are any duties I can perform at my local church. Anything at all really. Heck, I’ll mop the floors if that’s what they need.

Anyway, I’m rambling a bit. Sorry about that, that experience just kind of rubbed me the wrong way, and still rankles a bit. Thanks again for the replies!

Pax Vobiscum!
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Hey, don’t give up pursuing a possible vocation just because one priest wasn’t too enthusiastic about it. We need priests. Pray about it and if you believe you have a vocation then get in touch with your local bishop.

Good luck!
 
Bobby Jim:
Yes, I think it’s fine. The ministers of the sacrament of matrimony are the couple being married. The priest or deacon serves as the church’s official witness (and also as the state’s official witness, since he will sign the marriage license).

I’ve not been to such a wedding myself, but I’ve heard of deacons officiating at weddings that friends of mine have attended.

Of course the wedding with a deacon would not be a Mass.
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This is yet another place where eastern and western traditions differ.

In the Byzantine Church a deacon can not perform a wedding, or as we call it the Mystery of Crowning.

For us the minister of the sacrament is the priest. That is the priest confers the sacrament not the couple.
 
Both the deacon and priest can officiate. I assisted at a Wedding Mass. The priest celebrated Mass, and I did the homily and exchange of vows for the couple.

Unworthy soul- don’t worry, we are all unworthy!
 
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