Marriage if parish between priests

[tlzita]

There has been much restructuring in the diocese where I live and currently the parish does not have a priest. My boyfriend and I just got engaged and since there is no priest, I am unsure about who to talk to about getting married in the church. Everything says to go talk to the priest before doing anything. How does this work if there is no priest? We would like to be getting married in about 10 months so there is some time to do nothing but not too much. There is a priest who comes by for Sundays but he is temporary and isn’t the one who will be there in 10 months.

 

[Karl_M]

If you call the parish office, they will likely set you up at first with the Pastoral Administrator (or whatever they’re called in your diocese).

At some point, you’ll meet at least a couple of times with the Sacramental Minister-or whatever they call it.

In these parts, when a parish has no priest, a Pastoral Administrator (ideally a deacon, but usually a sister or a brother) “runs” the parish and the bishop assigns a Sacramental Minister to do the weddings, funerals, and weekend Masses.

My guess is that if you call the office, they can set you up. Even though the current priest is temporary, he may be the one you end up talking to although he doesn’t do the wedding-that’s what happened to my parents, and again to another friend of mine. It’s rare, but not unheard of.

 

[Phemie]

There has been much restructuring in the diocese where I live and currently the parish does not have a priest. My boyfriend and I just got engaged and since there is no priest, I am unsure about who to talk to about getting married in the church. Everything says to go talk to the priest before doing anything. How does this work if there is no priest? We would like to be getting married in about 10 months so there is some time to do nothing but not too much. There is a priest who comes by for Sundays but he is temporary and isn’t the one who will be there in 10 months.

Call the chancery office (diocese), explain your situation and ask which parish you should approach to prepare for marriage. They’ll probably suggest that you go to the next nearest parish and do the paperwork and everything there with the intention of marrying in your own parish when the time comes. It’s not a big deal within the same diocese.

 

[Aramis]

Everything says to go talk to the priest before doing anything. How does this work if there is no priest?

If there is a deacon, talk to him. (Roman deacons can perform weddings outside the mass, and often do marriage prep, and if nothing else, should know who the apostolic administrator is.

If there is no deacon, call the office.

If the office is not staffed, call the chancery offices.

If the Chancery is unstaffed (bloody rare), catch the bishop at his residence.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

There has been much restructuring in the diocese where I live and currently the parish does not have a priest. My boyfriend and I just got engaged and since there is no priest, I am unsure about who to talk to about getting married in the church. Everything says to go talk to the priest before doing anything. How does this work if there is no priest? We would like to be getting married in about 10 months so there is some time to do nothing but not too much. There is a priest who comes by for Sundays but he is temporary and isn’t the one who will be there in 10 months.

Someone is assigned by the Bishop to be responsible for the Sacraments in the parish. Contact the diocese and ask them who to contact. That priest may have assigned Marriage preparation to a team of lay people or a Deacon.

 

[puzzleannie]

go to your parish office and ask to speak to the person in charge of marriage prepartion. they will guide you on where in the diocese to find the prep classes, and help schedule the wedding and priest. do it now, don’t wait, since in your case it may take a bit longer due to scheduling of the classes etc.