Can two poor people get married in the church

[dumbseeker]

Can two poor people get married in the church? Even if they are so poor that they can’t contribute anything to the church or priest?

P.S. They just want the priest’s blessing and nothing else. They are not gonna invite people to come or wear some kind of nice dress.

 

[JKirkLVNV]

Can two poor people get married in the church? Even if they are so poor that they can’t contribute anything to the church or priest?

P.S. They just want the priest’s blessing and nothing else. They are not gonna invite people to come or wear some kind of nice dress.

Yes, none of the Sacraments are for sale. You need to explain the situation to your priest, but there is not reason that you cannot be married quietly, in the church. You can even do it at or after a regular Sunday or daily Mass. You do have to have witnesses, but the priest can help you with that as well. You still have to comply with the instructional preparation he deems fit.

God bless you. The richness of the wedding isn’t important, it’s the taking of the vows before Christ and His priest, at His Altar.

 

[Brenda_V]

Yes, none of the Sacraments are for sale. You need to explain the situation to your priest, but there is not reason that you cannot be married quietly, in the church. You can even do it at or after a regular Sunday or daily Mass. You do have to have witnesses, but the priest can help you with that as well. You still have to comply with the instructional preparation he deems fit.

God bless you. The richness of the wedding isn’t important, it’s the taking of the vows before Christ and His priest, at His Altar.

:yup:

Concise and well put.

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

As Kirk usually is. Hi, Kirk!

 

[ohioszo]

Can two poor people get married in the church? Even if they are so poor that they can’t contribute anything to the church or priest?

P.S. They just want the priest’s blessing and nothing else. They are not gonna invite people to come or wear some kind of nice dress.

Just kind of wondering where your family is, and/or about your community of believers. They often supply what is needed. A wedding is not just two people. Traditionally it is “best dress” for a wedding which doesn’t mean having bridalwear, does it? I assume that your financial situation is actually okay, enough to be able to be open to having children and to pay the bills. Some people may marry legally, and then have the wedding later on when finances improve. Some may have a wedding, and not have the legal one, perhaps. Hope the celebration is in the future, right?!

 

[ack]

Some people may marry legally, and then have the wedding later on when finances improve.

Catholics may not marry outside the church – it is not acceptable to marry legally and have a church wedding later on.

It is acceptable to have a simple church wedding (without the party), and then have a renewal of vows ceremony with a reception when finances improve.

Some may have a wedding, and not have the legal one, perhaps.

I believe that this is not legal in the United States, because the priest is legally recognized as a minister by the state. It wouldn’t really help the OP’s situation anyway. But I do remember a situation where this was desirable for immigration law purposes, but not allowed.

 

[puzzleannie]

Can two poor people get married in the church? Even if they are so poor that they can’t contribute anything to the church or priest?

P.S. They just want the priest’s blessing and nothing else. They are not gonna invite people to come or wear some kind of nice dress.

yes of course assuming they meet all the conditions for a valid marriage and are properly disposed. Even in parishes that charge for weddings, that is for the use of the church and facilities outside regularly scheduled Masses, overhead etc. Any couple can marry during any regular daily Mass, or after any regular weekend Mass. See your pastor and mention your situation during the initial interview for marriage preparation.

Previous poster is wrong, in no way shape or form is it right to marry civilly, and later have a big church wedding so you can have a party and blow money on it. Repeat, a church wedding need cost absolutely nothing. You wear the best clothing you have any time you go to church, so same applies here. I am or course referring to US because poster does not ask about any other country. Even where a civil marriage is the only one recognized by the government, the couple may not live as man and wife until they are married by the Church.

when finances improve you can have any kind of party you can afford, but you cannot do any quasi-marriage rite if you have already been married in the Church, and there is no need for any kind of blessing, other than that routinely given for those who ask it on their anniversary etc.

 

[ohioszo]

Previous poster is wrong, in no way shape or form is it right to marry civilly, and later have a big church wedding so you can have a party and blow money on it.

when finances improve you can have any kind of party you can afford, but you cannot do any quasi-marriage rite if you have already been married in the Church, and there is no need for any kind of blessing, other than that routinely given for those who ask it on their anniversary etc.

I know that I went to a beautiful Catholic wedding where *their *child was the ring bearer. The bride had waited until her husband graduated and found a good job. The bride also converted.

I’ve also seen a married couple marry during a weekday Mass, so I supposed that they had been civilly married before. He is now a lector.

I know just a very little about practices in Germany.

At least with a legal marriage, the children can be announced without the rest of the readership of your local paper sighing.

The wedding announcements that reach the paper are full of information that suggests that there is plenty of thought before they decided to marry, and enough to insure a happy beginning.

 

[DebChris]

My husband and I married while in college. I agreed with my parents that if you are mature enough to make the decision to marry, you are mature enough to pay for it yourselves.
My husband paid for the simple wedding dress my roommate made. He and the Best Man rented tuxedos.
My Matron of Honor worked as a florist. She made my bridal bouquet. The center could be taken out to be worn as a corsage. We paid for the cost of the flowers only.
Our invitation was a simple, “If you would like to come, we are getting married at …”
Matrimony is a Sacrament. It is not about how rich or poor a person is that determines whether or not we are called to marriage. God does provide.
Later, I met the couple who married the same day that my husband and I married. It was their flowers that adorned the altar.
Use of the church cost nothing.

 

[magic_stick]

The church I go to wouldn’t let me get married there unless I gave $400

They knew there wasn’t going to be an actual wedding ( it was just me, my husband and parents) but I had to give the money anyway. It kinda angered me because the preist looked up how much money I gave in the past and how much my parents gave. Seemed like it was all about the money and nothing else. This really gave me a negative view of the church as a whole.

I really didn’t have the money to give but I scrapped it up somehow.

I shouldn’t of gotten married there. I should of just got married in Hawaii like my husband wanted to originally.

 

[joandarc2008]

You also can find some really nice bridal dresses that are next to nothing on ebay.

God bless,

 

[puzzleannie]

I
I know just a very little about practices in Germany.

Atquote]
this forum originates in this country, so we discuss the way things are done in this country, unless poster asks about a specific country, which this OP did not

for instance in Mexico and some other countries that to not delegate civil authority to witness a marriag to clergy, the couple do indeed have to marry civilly first, and then have their marriage witnessed by the priest. of course they may not live together as man and wife and have relations until that happens (usually it is the same day).

in all countries however, for Catholics the party or reception is not necessary for a valid marriage, so being able to afford one is never a barrier to marrying in the Church.

 

[TAS2000]

The church I go to wouldn’t let me get married there unless I gave $400

… It kinda angered me because the preist looked up how much money I gave in the past and how much my parents gave. …I really didn’t have the money to give but I scrapped it up somehow.

I shouldn’t of gotten married there. I should of just got married in Hawaii like my husband wanted to originally.

Often times parishes look up the record of past donations as proof that you are active memebers of the parish. If they don’t know you by sight, it at least shows that you have attended in the past. If you truly could not afford $400, then how much does a trip to Hawaii cost to get married?

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

The church I go to wouldn’t let me get married there unless I gave $400

They knew there wasn’t going to be an actual wedding ( it was just me, my husband and parents) but I had to give the money anyway. It kinda angered me because the preist looked up how much money I gave in the past and how much my parents gave. Seemed like it was all about the money and nothing else. This really gave me a negative view of the church as a whole.

I really didn’t have the money to give but I scrapped it up somehow.

I shouldn’t of gotten married there. I should of just got married in Hawaii like my husband wanted to originally. As somebody already pointed out, a trip to Hawaii, the tickets to get there and back, is more expensive than the $400 the parish wanted.

What you could have done was report the priest to the bishop, or had your mother call the bishop (he was looking in your parents’ financial records, too). You could have gone to see another priest in another parish and explained things, if you really couldn’t afford $400. But it’s over now, and I take it you are still married. And unless you knew a faculties priest in Hawaii, it would have been invalid.