If the priest even allows that - some parishes don’t do the “blessing thing”.
I think this depends on the priest and the diocese because mine were required to be confirmed Catholics who practice their faith… I had to get the priest to go to the diocese to allow me to have my dd as maid of honor because she was in confirmation prep at the time but not confirmed.There is no requirement that you have to be a practicing Catholic to sign the certificate or be in the wedding party. I would encourage her to not receive, though.
It really bugs me when they impose restrictions like that when there is no reason to do so. A witness is a witness is a witness. I could see if they said they had to be of ‘legal’ age but their religion is really irrelevant to their task.
i agree; it makes no sense to make up rules that are not stated in the Church’s own canon law but reflect some personal preference. These are not godparents, for heaven’s sake.
I see your point, however, what about those who don’t really have good Catholic “witnesses” in their own life? I had a hard enough time choosing Godparents for my son, and the two I chose were hardly exemplary Catholics. My maid of honor, though not Catholic, has a strong relationship with Christ and would definitely pray for my marriage. As much as I’d love to see her Catholic, she’s a much better example of Christian living than my Cafeteria Catholic relatives.
The tradition in the neck of the woods where I grew up was for fathers of the bride and groom to be the witnesses (or a close male relative if one or the other of the fathers was deceased). That changed when TV came along and we saw more Hollywood weddings.
Canon 1108.1 Only those marriages are valid which are contracted in the presence of the local Ordinary or parish priest or of the priest or deacon delegated by either of them, who, in the presence of two witnesses, assists, in accordance however with the rules set out in the following canons, and without prejudice to the exceptions mentioned in cann. 144, 1112.1, 1116 and 1127.2-3.
A very lovely idea; however, canon law does not dictate the religion of witnesses, merely that there be two witnesses, in addition to the officiant.
Hard to believe it encouraged such when even before the 1982 Code of Canon Law we weren’t even asked the religion of the witnesses. It’s still not part of the questions asked in our diocese, I often have to ask who the witnesses will be when I fill out the legal documents a few days before the wedding – priest doesn’t even ask.
Actually… I thought it was quite appropriate. First, I think it sets a good example for the best man and maid of honor, particularly if they are same age or younger. This way they learn about what is important… it isn’t the pretty dress or the party or the honeymoon… it is about the covenant between a man, a woman and God. Their witness is to the fact that we made that promise not only to each other but to God as well. That we did so without coercion or defect… so don’t you think they should know what they are witnessing as pertains to the beliefs of the Catholic Church in the matter of a sacramental marriage?
My priest asked the religion of our maid of honor and best man when I was filling out the initial paperwork.