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migraine4
Guest
Can a priest marry a catholic couple outside of the church?
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1ke
Guest
No.
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John_Lilburne
Guest
Yes, outside a church building. From the Code of Canon Law, canon 1118:
Ҥ1 A marriage between catholics, or between a catholic party and a baptised non-catholic, is to be celebrated in the parish church. By permission of the local Ordinary or of the parish priest, it may be celebrated in another church or oratory.
§2 The local Ordinary can allow a marriage to be celebrated in another suitable place.
§3 A marriage between a catholic party and an unbaptised party may be celebrated in a church or another suitable place.”
(The Code of Canon Law: New revised English Translation, HarperCollins Liturgical, 1997, ISBN 000599375X. Another translation can be found at vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/_INDEX.HTM ). So the bishop could give permission for the wedding to be in a place other than a church.
Normally Catholics would be married in a Mass (Rite of Marriage Introduction, n. 6). Normally the Mass would be in a church building.
From the 2002 General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) approved for the USA, which can be accessed from romanrite.com/girm.html :
“288. For the celebration of the Eucharist, the people of God normally are gathered together in a church or, if there is no church or if it is too small, then in another respectable place that is nonetheless worthy of so great a mystery. Churches, therefore, and other places should be suitable for carrying out the sacred action and for ensuring the active participation of the faithful. …”
The Rite of Marriage Introduction talks about adaptations for particular places, ending with:
“18. Among people where the marriage ceremonies customarily take place in the home, sometimes over a period of several days, their customs should be adapted to the Christian spirit and to the liturgy. In such cases the conference of bishops, according to the pastoral needs of the people, may allow the sacramental rite to be celebrated in the home.”
(The Rites Volume One, Liturgical Press, 1990, ISBN: 0-8146-6015-0, page 724). I do not know if any country’s Conference of Bishops has actually done this.
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jkarp
Guest
For clarification, do you mean a couple who is not Catholic, outside of a church building, or apart from the Catholic Church?
I’m sure this doesn’t get at the actual point of your question but it is important to note that the priest does not marry the couple in any case. The couple marries each other. In the sacrament of matrimony the proper ministers of the sacrament are the couple; the marriage actually occurs when they take public vows to each other.
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Br.Rich_SFO
Guest
A Catholic Priest can witness a Catholic Marriage outside a physical Catholic church, like in another church building if the Bishop has given his permission. Generally a Bishop will not grant permission for a Catholic to Marry outside a church building A Catholic Marriage may possibly take place outdoors at a Catholic Shrine.
A Catholic priest may not witness a Catholic Marriage, if you mean outside the Laws of the Catholic Church, like a Marriage between a Catholic and a person who has been Married before without a declaration of nullity.
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stbruno
Guest
I always explain it this way. A captain can marry a couple as long as they are at sea.
A priest can marry a couple as long as they are in church.
Not the same, but the same theory applies.
A priest can marry a couple as long as they are in church.
Not the same, but the same theory applies.
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Br.Rich_SFO
Guest
But the question is: Can a captain marry a couple at sea on someone else’s boat?I always explain it this way. A captain can marry a couple as long as they are at sea.
A priest can marry a couple as long as they are in church.
Not the same, but the same theory applies.
Just kidding, I like it.
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jkarp
Guest
Great analogy! Remember though, that a priest doesn’t marry a couple, the couple marries each other.I always explain it this way. A captain can marry a couple as long as they are at sea.
A priest can marry a couple as long as they are in church.
Not the same, but the same theory applies.
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stbruno
Guest
Whoops…I meant witness a marriage. mea culpa
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