Short Advent Weddings?

[Atreyu]

First of all, I had no idea where to put this one. Anyway, at RCIA last week, our instructor was discussing what happens during advent. One of the things she mentioned was that weddings are short. I can’t remember exactly what she said, but it was something like “it’s not a full mass” or something like that. Specifically, what is the difference? I’d like to know as I’m due to get married on the 8th of December 2007. Now, the 8th of December is the feast of the Immaculate Conception. Does that change anything?

 

[Atreyu]

Sweet! That was my 1000th post!!

 

[Brenda_V]

Woo hoo! Happy Dance! Congratulations on your 1000th post .

Cant’t answer your question about Weddings and Advent. I was married during the Christmas Season and did not have a Mass because my husband is Lutheran and so are all his family (and they believe in open communion meaning where ever you are at and they have communion, you go).

I do know that a Wedding Mass during Lent would be more solemn so maybe that is what the RCIA instructor meant? Not that it would be shorter, I honestly don’t know how much shorter (length in time) you could have a Mass
.

I am looking forward to others with more knowledge about this responding though.

Brenda V.

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

Wait to hear from one of the canon lawyers who post on this one. And if I’m wrong, I apologize in advance.

To the best of my knoweldge, in most dioceses, weddings are not held except for “grave reason” or for military members who have to ship out during Advent and Lent. This is because weddings are very joyous, and even Advent is a time of penance; though not as severe as Lent. Marriages that DO occur can be Nuptial Masses, but are usually not supposed to be full-blown extravaganzas and kept “simple”.

By the same token, even though canonnically baptism of infants is supposed to take place as soon as the parents are properly catechized and the baby can go to the parish church, some parishes don’t have baptisms during Lent (and have to be told to put holy water in their fonts at the door, which some parishes remove when they shouldn’t).

 

[Joe_Kelley]

I would say subdued rather than short.

We do ban weddings on Christmas Eve. It was very popular one year when everyone wanted the benefit of the decoration, but it was madness for the parish staff trying to get set up for Christmas.

 

[cameron_lansing]

Gosh, Atreyu, I think you need a canon lawyer from Quadling Country. To my knowledge, though, there are none there. But there may be some in Rigmarole Town and Flutterbudget Center. But since our office is closed due to weather, I will hazard two paths by which you may resolve your situation.

1. If you have a wedding date, have you discussed it with the pastor? Usually these things are sorted out at the first contact. Then, too, it’s always best to go back to the person who gave you the information originally. Follow the yellow brick back to the parish.
2. Prescinding from when it can be celebrated, a wedding can be celebrated outside Mass or within Mass. The former is essentially a liturgy of the Word with the ritual of marriage following the readings. When I’ve witnessed weddings outside of Mass, though, they took about 45 minutes to an hour. They could also be done in 5 minutes, but that would hardly seem appropriate to the dignity of marriage.

But there are times when a ritual Mass cannot be celebrated.

Now, the case of a wedding Mass during a day in Advent Season is not the same as the case of a wedding Mass on a solemnity. The Immaculate Conception is a solemnity.
Ritual Masses are prohibited on solemnities (GIRM #372), even when the precept to attend Mass is abrogated.

The General Instruction on the Roman Missal, n. 372 reads “Ritual Masses are connected to the celebration of certain Sacraments or Sacramentals. They are prohibited on Sundays of Advent, Lent, and Easter, on solemnities, on the days within the Octave of Easter, on the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls’ Day), on Ash Wednesday, and during Holy Week, taking due account of the norms given in the ritual books or in the Masses themselves.”

On days when the ritual Mass for Marriage is prohibited, the Rite of Marriage Outside of Mass is permitted (with some exceptions I’ll bypass as outside the concrete case).

I don’t recall that there is an absolute prohibition on holding marriages during Lent and Advent (see Introduction to Rite of Marriage 13) but many dioceses discourage them, especially during Lent. If a wedding is permitted during those seasons, the situation is generally subdued to accomodate the liturgical season, and probably, the general exhaustion of the clergy as well.

The bride’s white dress — or red if you envision a wedding amongst the Quadlings — may clash with the priest’s purple. These seasons also involve a usually marked penitential nature. Normally we do not associate the celebration of marriage with penitential practice, but one never knows about how residents of Oz view this point.

However, I do advise that you avoid having the reception in Bunbury. You will soon tire of chasing the wedding cake.

 

[journey137]

My wedding is going to be Dec 22, 2007 and we talked with the priest a couple weeks ago. He said nothing about a short ceremony or that we have to be more subdued. We are both in college, and he may be assuming (rightly so) that we don’t have enough money to pay for a huge wedding and that’s why he didn’t say anything.

 

[John_Lilburne]

First of all, I had no idea where to put this one. Anyway, at RCIA last week, our instructor was discussing what happens during advent. One of the things she mentioned was that weddings are short. I can’t remember exactly what she said, but it was something like “it’s not a full mass” or something like that. Specifically, what is the difference? I’d like to know as I’m due to get married on the 8th of December 2007. Now, the 8th of December is the feast of the Immaculate Conception. Does that change anything?

A Mass with a wedding in it is not permitted on 8 December 2007. The feast is of the highest rank, it is a Solemnity.

From the 2002 General Introduction to the Roman Missal (GIRM) which can be accessed from romanrite.com/girm.html :
“372. Ritual Masses are connected to the celebration of certain Sacraments or Sacramentals. They are prohibited on Sundays of Advent, Lent, and Easter, on solemnities, on the days within the Octave of Easter, on the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls’ Day), on Ash Wednesday, and during Holy Week, taking due account of the norms given in the ritual books or in the Masses themselves.”

Perhaps a marriage on the day of a solemnity can be outside of Mass. There would be readings, but no Eucharistic Prayer. The ceremony is in Chapter 2 of the Rite of Marriage (The Rites Volume One, Liturgical Press, 1990, ISBN: 0-8146-6015-0, page 734).

 

[Joe_Kelley]

A Mass with a wedding in it is not permitted on 8 December 2007. The feast is of the highest rank, it is a Solemnity.

From the 2002 General Introduction to the Roman Missal (GIRM) which can be accessed from romanrite.com/girm.html :
“372. Ritual Masses are connected to the celebration of certain Sacraments or Sacramentals. They are prohibited on Sundays of Advent, Lent, and Easter, on solemnities, on the days within the Octave of Easter, on the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls’ Day), on Ash Wednesday, and during Holy Week, taking due account of the norms given in the ritual books or in the Masses themselves.”
. …

That appears to prohibit only the Ritual Mass, the Nuptial Mass and readings. I suspect you may be able to be married at the mass of the day, except for All Souls, the Requiem Mass just won’t fit a wedding. [We actually had a letter from the diocese stating that a couple of years ago.] On the other hand, if it is a day of obligation, there may not be a priest available to say an extra mass.

When we were married, ibefore the NO, we were married on a first class feast. Thus we had the mass of the feast rather than the Ritual Mass for a Wedding, but everything else was the same.

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

My wedding is going to be Dec 22, 2007 and we talked with the priest a couple weeks ago. He said nothing about a short ceremony or that we have to be more subdued. We are both in college, and he may be assuming (rightly so) that we don’t have enough money to pay for a huge wedding and that’s why he didn’t say anything.

Dec. 22nd is the Friday of the Third Week of Advent. Not a Solemnity. In Advent, but skirts close to Christmas.

I am sure your sacrament will be just lovely. God bless you and your husband-to-be.

 

[journey137]

Dec. 22nd is the Friday of the Third Week of Advent. Not a Solemnity. In Advent, but skirts close to Christmas.

I am sure your sacrament will be just lovely. God bless you and your husband-to-be.

Actually it’s a Saturday and we are aware it’s close to Christmas… but it was either that day or the same day we both graduate and that would have been wayyy to crazy. When we get married, we will have been dating for almost six years, and we’re tired of waiting. Thank you for the blessing I hope it will be lovely too.

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

Actually it’s a Saturday and we are aware it’s close to Christmas… but it was either that day or the same day we both graduate and that would have been wayyy to crazy. When we get married, we will have been dating for almost six years, and we’re tired of waiting. Thank you for the blessing I hope it will be lovely too.

Here I thought it said 2006! Gotta get to the eye doctor.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

First of all, I had no idea where to put this one. Anyway, at RCIA last week, our instructor was discussing what happens during advent. One of the things she mentioned was that weddings are short. I can’t remember exactly what she said, but it was something like “it’s not a full mass” or something like that. Specifically, what is the difference? I’d like to know as I’m due to get married on the 8th of December 2007. Now, the 8th of December is the feast of the Immaculate Conception. Does that change anything?

I do not believe that you will be able to have a wedding Mass on a Holy Day of Obligation. Advent and Lent are penitential seasons so everything liturgical is toned down a bit, more so during Lent.

 

[John_Lilburne]

That appears to prohibit only the Ritual Mass, the Nuptial Mass and readings. I suspect you may be able to be married at the mass of the day, except for All Souls, the Requiem Mass just won’t fit a wedding. [We actually had a letter from the diocese stating that a couple of years ago.] On the other hand, if it is a day of obligation, there may not be a priest available to say an extra mass.

When we were married, ibefore the NO, we were married on a first class feast. Thus we had the mass of the feast rather than the Ritual Mass for a Wedding, but everything else was the same.

Yes, I now believe this is correct. I was wrong writing in post #8: “A Mass with a wedding in it is not permitted on 8 December 2007.”

From the Rite of Marriage it has:
“11. … If the marriage is celebrated on a Sunday or solemnity, the Mass of the day is used with the nuptial blessing and the special final blessing according to the circumstances.”
(The Rites Volume One, Liturgical Press, 1990, ISBN: 0-8146-6015-0, page 722).

This is the 1969 edition of the Rite of Marriage. According to a 2004 report at adoremus.org/1104NewsViews.html#anchor832420 :
“The Rite of Marriage was revised by the Holy See in 1990, but ICEL’s English translation of the revised Marriage rite was never voted on by the bishops.
At present, there is no approved English version of the new Rite of Marriage.”

According to nccbuscc.org/liturgy/innews/012000.shtml
“… Immaculate Conception - Friday, December 8, 2000
This is a solemnity and a day of obligation – cf. options and restrictions for Easter 2000. For weddings during Mass, no readings may be changed. …”

 

[marytk]

An extended relative’s funeral was on March 20 this year. Because the 19th was a Sunday the Solementy of St Joseph was moved to Monday. They used the reading etc for The Feast of St Joseph.

 

[joshua1]

Our Wedding Mass was in December during Advent on a Saturday afternoon, and the only difference was there was no Gloria.

 

[Atreyu]

I do not believe that you will be able to have a wedding Mass on a Holy Day of Obligation. Advent and Lent are penitential seasons so everything liturgical is toned down a bit, more so during Lent.

The Immaculate Conception is not a Holy Day of Obligation in Australia.

I think Cameron has answered my question, but I’m getting a little bit confused between the terms “Ritual mass” and “Nuptial mass”. Forgive me, but I know next to nothing about the liturgy (that’s something I need to remedy).

As for John’s last post, I believe the following will apply still:

“11. … If the marriage is celebrated on a Sunday or solemnity, the Mass of the day is used with the nuptial blessing and the special final blessing according to the circumstances.”

Is this the answer to my question? The mass of the day will be used, with nuptial blessings. Does this just mean that the readings and other proper prayers will be the prayers for the mass of the solemnity, and the mass will exactly resemble the mass of that solemnity, except the nuptial blessings will be tacked on?

 

[Joe_Kelley]

. . .
I think Cameron has answered my question, but I’m getting a little bit confused between the terms “Ritual mass” and “Nuptial mass”. Forgive me, but I know next to nothing about the liturgy (that’s something I need to remedy).

As for John’s last post, I believe the following will apply still:

Is this the answer to my question? The mass of the day will be used, with nuptial blessings. Does this just mean that the readings and other proper prayers will be the prayers for the mass of the solemnity, and the mass will exactly resemble the mass of that solemnity, except the nuptial blessings will be tacked on?

The Nuptial mass is one of several Ritual masses. These are masses for special rites [Baptism, Scrutinies of the Catechumens, etc.] as contrasted to regular masses which are determined by the calendar [Sundays, feasts etc].

I think your last paragraph is the correct summary of what will happen.

 

[John_Lilburne]

The Immaculate Conception is not a Holy Day of Obligation in Australia.
…Is this the answer to my question? The mass of the day will be used, with nuptial blessings. Does this just mean that the readings and other proper prayers will be the prayers for the mass of the solemnity, and the mass will exactly resemble the mass of that solemnity, except the nuptial blessings will be tacked on?

Yes, I think so, although the readings is complicated. The Rite of Marriage will be after the homily. The Nuptial Blessing will be after the Our Father.

For example in the Prayer Over the Gifts instead of being able to have from Wedding Mass C:
“Lord, hear our prayers and accept the gifts we offer for Steve and Jane. Today you have made them one in the sacrament of marriage. …”.
Instead the priest is required to have:
“Lord, accept this sacrifice on the feast of the sinless Virgin Mary. You kept her free from sin from the first moment of her life. Help us by her prayers, and free us from our sins. …”

Similarly for the entrance antiphon, opening prayer, preface, communion antiphon, and prayer after communion.

I think one reading can be changed. It has in the Rite of Marriage:
“11. … The liturgy of the word as adapted to the marriage celebration, however, is a highly effective means for the catechesis on the sacrament of marriage and its duties. Therefore when the wedding Mass may not be held, one of the readings from the texts provided for the marriage celebration (nos. 67-105) may be chosen except from Holy Thursday to Easter, on the solemnities of Epiphany, Ascension, Pentecost, or Corpus Christi, or on holydays of obligation. …”. (The Rites Volume One, Liturgical Press, 1990, ISBN: 0-8146-6015-0, page 722).

Since it is not a holyday of obligation in Australia it would seem reasonable for the priest to allow one reading to be changed.

For this solmenity the Gloria is said (even though it is in Advent, see Missale Romanum, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2002, ISBN: 8820972719, page 878). So is the creed.

The advent restrictions are, from the 2002 General Introduction to the Roman Missal (GIRM) which can be accessed from romanrite.com/girm.html :
“313. … In Advent the organ and other musical instruments should be used with a moderation that is consistent with the season’s character and does not anticipate the full joy of the Nativity of the Lord.”
"305. … During Advent the floral decoration of the altar should be marked by a moderation suited to the character of this season, without expressing prematurely the full joy of the Nativity of the Lord. "

 

[Atreyu]

The advent restrictions are, from the 2002 General Introduction to the Roman Missal (GIRM) which can be accessed from romanrite.com/girm.html :
“313. … In Advent the organ and other musical instruments should be used with a moderation that is consistent with the season’s character and does not anticipate the full joy of the Nativity of the Lord.”
"305. … During Advent the floral decoration of the altar should be marked by a moderation suited to the character of this season, without expressing prematurely the full joy of the Nativity of the Lord. "

Erm, General Instruction of the Roman Missal…?