Convalidation Ceremony

[JasonLovesJesus]

Dear Friends,

I have a couple questions in regards to the Convalidation Ceremony for couples who were not married in the Church.

A) After this Ceremony, would we be considered to have been graced with the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony?

B) Can anybody give me a quick run down of the Ceremony? Like, how long does it take, how often are they done, what the ceremony involves., etc?

and finally, after celebrating this ceremony, you can still have a full Wedding in the Church, correct?

Thank you and God bless

 

[His_helpmeet]

Dear Friends,

I have a couple questions in regards to the Convalidation Ceremony for couples who were not married in the Church.

A) After this Ceremony, would we be considered to have been graced with the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony? Yes. A convalidation is a Catholic wedding. It is a new consent.

B) Can anybody give me a quick run down of the Ceremony? Like, how long does it take, how often are they done, what the ceremony involves., etc? You will have to check wtih your pastor as to how often/when/where they can be done. DH and I had our marriage convalidated during Mass. It doesn’t take very long - it’s just the declaration of consent, exchange of vows, and blessing and exchange of rings. Some churches have a separate chapel for the purpose of convalidations, some don’t. Some may require you to schedule it outside Mass, others may be okay with you doing it during a regular Sunday/weekday Mass (we did ours during Sunday Mass).

and finally, after celebrating this ceremony, you can still have a full Wedding in the Church, correct? No. This IS the Catholic wedding. It is NOT meant to be a second “wedding” in the strict celebratory sense of the word. It is meant to be a small ceremony. It should ONLY be done if a couple is in an irregular marriage situation (DH had to have his first marriage declared invalid before we could marry sacramentally; this is one example; it could also be done for a convert who is remarried after divorce or married to someone who has been divorced, once a declaration of nullity is received). It should NOT be done as a “second wedding” because “one spouse doesn’t want to get married in the Church” or “we have to be considerate of others” or “another church looks nicer”. If you are Catholic and wish to marry outside the Church, you can apply for a dispensation. (Sometimes this might happen if, for example, it’s a mixed-faith marriage.) If the dispensation is denied, you MUST have a Catholic wedding - not a convalidation just done so you can have the “big wedding” somewhere else.

Thank you and God bless

 

[JasonLovesJesus]

His_helpmeet:
Thank you very much

Peace of Christ be with you

 

[1ke]

A) After this Ceremony, would we be considered to have been graced with the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony?

you would have a valid marriage. If both parties are baptized, it would also be a sacrament.

B) Can anybody give me a quick run down of the Ceremony?

It is the Rite of Marriage.

Like, how long does it take, how often are they done, etc?

that is completely up to your pastor. Make an appointmnt to talk to him.

and finally, after celebrating this ceremony, you can still have a full Wedding in the Church, correct?

Convalidation is the Rite of Marriage, i.e. your “full wedding in the Church” so no you would not have any sort of wedding after the convalidation. the convalidation is the wedding.

 

[JasonLovesJesus]

you would have a valid marriage. If both parties are baptized, it would also be a sacrament.

It is the Rite of Marriage.

that is completely up to your pastor. Make an appointmnt to talk to him.

Convalidation is the Rite of Marriage, i.e. your “full wedding in the Church” so no you would not have any sort of wedding after the convalidation. the convalidation is the wedding.

Thank you

God bless