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FightingFat
Guest
I was at a wedding last weekend. My Sister-in-law’s best friend got married to her long time boyfriend/ partner of 12 years.
He is a real Christian- you know, someone who lives a really Christian type life. He would do anything for you, works in care and is very deep and prayerful. He’s also Presbyterian by denomination- not that this has ever affected my friendship with him or my opinion about what a nice chap he is.
My sister-in-law’s best friend is 10 years his junior at 30. She ‘is’ a Catholic. I say ‘is’ like that because I guess most of you guys would probably say she most definitely is not! But still, she goes to mass despite having lived with this guy for 12 years.
They were married in the local Catholic church and had an unusual wedding with lots of personal touches (for example, instead of ‘here comes the bride’ she entered the Church to ‘Lets Get Married’ by the Proclaimers).
We were discussing various issues after the ceremony and they consider me very churchy, which always makes me laugh, but I was aware that they had found some spiritual depth to their relationship, and I felt proud and happy that we were able to welcome them into a Catholic marriage.
Several years ago, I was discussing this issue with a friend of mine who is a Priest. As the person in charge of liturgy in our parish, I had been asked to read at a marriage where neither bride nor groom had anyone willing to do the job. The wedding was not what I would call ‘Catholic’. I felt upset, that they were ‘using’ our church.
‘If they don’t follow the rules’ said an indignant me, '‘why should they be allowed to marry in our Church?’ (sound like the prodigal son a bit, don’t I!)
Father said that it was our job as Catholic Christians to offer our arms out to all those lost sheep, welcoming them back to mother church with love and compassion and to demonstrate the depth of our faith, and the benefits thereof, through our actions and love. That has always stuck with me you know and I always try to let God judge and just love.
How many here feel that my friends should not have been allowed to marry in a Catholic church?
Who thinks that my friend the priest is not singing from a Catholic hymn sheet?
Any other comments/ questions?
He is a real Christian- you know, someone who lives a really Christian type life. He would do anything for you, works in care and is very deep and prayerful. He’s also Presbyterian by denomination- not that this has ever affected my friendship with him or my opinion about what a nice chap he is.
My sister-in-law’s best friend is 10 years his junior at 30. She ‘is’ a Catholic. I say ‘is’ like that because I guess most of you guys would probably say she most definitely is not! But still, she goes to mass despite having lived with this guy for 12 years.
They were married in the local Catholic church and had an unusual wedding with lots of personal touches (for example, instead of ‘here comes the bride’ she entered the Church to ‘Lets Get Married’ by the Proclaimers).
We were discussing various issues after the ceremony and they consider me very churchy, which always makes me laugh, but I was aware that they had found some spiritual depth to their relationship, and I felt proud and happy that we were able to welcome them into a Catholic marriage.
Several years ago, I was discussing this issue with a friend of mine who is a Priest. As the person in charge of liturgy in our parish, I had been asked to read at a marriage where neither bride nor groom had anyone willing to do the job. The wedding was not what I would call ‘Catholic’. I felt upset, that they were ‘using’ our church.
‘If they don’t follow the rules’ said an indignant me, '‘why should they be allowed to marry in our Church?’ (sound like the prodigal son a bit, don’t I!)
Father said that it was our job as Catholic Christians to offer our arms out to all those lost sheep, welcoming them back to mother church with love and compassion and to demonstrate the depth of our faith, and the benefits thereof, through our actions and love. That has always stuck with me you know and I always try to let God judge and just love.
How many here feel that my friends should not have been allowed to marry in a Catholic church?
Who thinks that my friend the priest is not singing from a Catholic hymn sheet?
Any other comments/ questions?