M
MarcoPolo
Guest
See subject for my question.
Why does the Church require couples marry in public & have a Church rep present?
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D
dylanschrader
Guest
The Church does not strictly require “public” marriages. She only requires the presence of a priest or deacon and two witnesses, except in certain circumstances. She requires this because the sacraments were entrusted to the Church by Christ and she has the duty of regulating them. Marriage, especially, because it is a sacrament which exists for the benefit of the Church rather than simply for the individuals’ souls, is an ecclesial affair and not a purely individual one.
B
Br.Rich_SFO
Guest
Because all Sacraments are celebrated within the Christian community. The Church does allow private celebration under certain circumstances including Marriage in secret.
C
cameron_lansing
Guest
The above responses are quite correct. Marriage in Christ is the theological doctrine behind it all — the nature of Church and sacraments, etc.
But as the profs will sometimes say, behind every Church law is a history of mischief. At least behind some of them anyway.
The laws of canonical form also grew out of historical abuses by which clandestine marriages were the order of the day. Though valid and sometimes legal/illegal under the canon law of varying times, these were easily abandoned with impunity and often without consequence. That of course spelled bigamy back in the days when there was not any civil system of registering marriage.
The Council of Trent acted against clandestine marriages in November 1563 in session 24 and imposed some requirements for validity, namely the presence of the parish priest or a priest designated by the bishop and two witnesses. The banns of marriage are also treated.
Look up Tametsi and clandestinity on line at the Catholic Encyclopedia for details. Maybe more than you want to know.
(One ploy when the mere presence of the priest was required was to get him too drunk to remember much and sit him off in a corner. Later legislation required not just his passive presence but active participation.)
But as the profs will sometimes say, behind every Church law is a history of mischief. At least behind some of them anyway.
The laws of canonical form also grew out of historical abuses by which clandestine marriages were the order of the day. Though valid and sometimes legal/illegal under the canon law of varying times, these were easily abandoned with impunity and often without consequence. That of course spelled bigamy back in the days when there was not any civil system of registering marriage.
The Council of Trent acted against clandestine marriages in November 1563 in session 24 and imposed some requirements for validity, namely the presence of the parish priest or a priest designated by the bishop and two witnesses. The banns of marriage are also treated.
Look up Tametsi and clandestinity on line at the Catholic Encyclopedia for details. Maybe more than you want to know.
(One ploy when the mere presence of the priest was required was to get him too drunk to remember much and sit him off in a corner. Later legislation required not just his passive presence but active participation.)
P
Patchunky
Guest
In many cultures, the witnesses CANNOT be blood relatives; i.e. brothers or sisters of bridal couple. This was done in order to show that both parties were not be forced into the marriage.
The witnesses then became the godparents of the first child…
To bad this custom isn’t practice that often in this country…
The witnesses then became the godparents of the first child…
To bad this custom isn’t practice that often in this country…
L
lak611
Guest
That makes sense. I like that idea.
I don’t really understand why a child’s uncle or aunt would not be allowed to be godfather or godmother, though. Why would the wedding witnesses have to be the godparents?
C
Chicaanna
Guest
By being married in public you are being married in front of your faith community. The community that will be there for you through the good and bad, the community that will help raise your children and give you support in all aspects of life. Being Catholic is being a part of a very large and extended family. Embrace it. 
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