Rite of Marriage

All stand, including the bride and bridegroom, and the priest addresses them in these or similar words: My dear friends, you have come together in this church so that the Lord may seal and strengthen your love in the presence of the Churchs minister and this community. Christ abundantly blesses this love. He has already consecrated you in baptism and now he enriches and strengthens you by a special sacrament so that you may assume the duties of marriage in mutual and lasting fidelity. And so, in the presence of the Church, I ask you to state your intentions.

The priest then questions them about their freedom of choice, faithfulness to each other, and the acceptance and upbringing of children. (Name) and (Name), have you come here freely and without reservation to give yourselves to each other in marriage? Will you love and honor each other as man and wife for the rest of your lives? The following question may be omitted if, for example, the couple is advanced in years. Will you accept children lovingly from God and bring them up according to the law of Christ and his Church? Each answers the questions separately. Consent The priest invites the couple to declare their consent. Priest: Since it is your intention to enter into marriage, join your right hands, and declare your consent before God and his Church. They join hands.
Option A The bridegroom says: I, (Name), take you, (Name), to be my wife. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life. The bride says: Option B In the dioceses of the United States, the following form may be used: The bridegroom says: Groom: I, (Name), take you, (Name), for my lawful wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward,

I, (Name), take you, (Name), to be my husband. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life.

for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part. Bride: I, (Name), take you, (Name), for my lawful husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.

If, however, it seems preferable for pastoral reasons, the priest may obtain consent from the couple through questions.
Option A First he asks the bridegroom: (Name), do you take (Name) to be your wife? Do you promise to be true to her in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love her and honor her all the days of your life? The bridegroom: I do. Then he asks the bride: (Name), do you take (Name) to be your husband? Do you promise to be true to him in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love him and honor him all the days of your life? The bride: I do. Option B In the dioceses of the United States, the following form may be used: First he asks the bridegroom: (Name), do you take (Name) for your lawful wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part? The bridegroom: I do. Then he asks the bride: (Name), do you take (Name) for your lawful wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part? The bride: I do.

Receiving their consent, the priest says: You have declared your consent before the Church. May the Lord in his goodness strengthen your consent and fill you both with his blessings. What God has joined, men must not divide. Response: Amen. Blessing and Exchange of Rings Option 1 Priest:

May the Lord bless these rings which you give to each other as the sign of your love and fidelity. Response: Amen. Option 2 Priest: Lord, bless these rings which we bless in your name. Grant that those who wear them may always have a deep faith in each other. May they do your will and always live together in peace, good will, and love. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Response: Amen. Option 3 Priest: Lord, bless and consecrate (Name) and (Name) in their love for each other. May these rings be a symbol of true faith in each other, and always remind them of their love. Through Christ our Lord. Response: Amen. The bridegroom places his wife's ring on her ring finger. He may say: (Name), take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. The bride places her husband's ring on his ring finger. She may say: (Name), take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

SIGNS AND SYMBOLS OF THE SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY

The symbols that are used during weddings are: Rings: The rings symbolise God's not finishing love, just as the cirlce has no start or finish. Veils: The veil symbolises the love to his/her wife/husband Coins/Arrhae: The coins are used to symbolise wealth and blessing for the couple Bible: The bible symbolises the husbands acceptance of the role being the spiritual leader of the family. In the bible it is said that the fathers (husbands) should lead the family spiritually means to go to church and serving in the church and many more.

Unity candle: The unity candle symbolises their marriage and their christians home will now serve as light. The light implies as each one's life and as a light to the people around.

EFFECTS OF THE SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY

1st: To sanctify the love of husband and wife; 2nd: To give them grace to bear with each other's weaknesses; 3rd: To enable them to bring up their children in the fear and love of God.

MARRIAGE LAWS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

Canon 1055.1 The marriage covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of their whole life, and which of its own very nature is ordered to the well-being of the spouses and to the procreation and upbringing of children, has, between the baptised, been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a sacrament. Canon 1055.2 Consequently, a valid marriage contract cannot exist between baptised persons without its being by that very fact a sacrament. Canon 1056 The essential properties of marriage are unity and indissolubility; in christian marriage they acquire a distinctive firmness by reason of the sacrament. Canon 1057.1 A marriage is brought into being by the lawfully manifested consent of persons who are legally capable. This consent cannot be supplied by any human power. Canon 1057.2 Matrimonial consent is an act of will by which a man and a woman by an irrevocable covenant mutually give and accept one another for the purpose of establishing a marriage. Canon 1058 All can contract marriage who are not prohibited by law. Canon 1059 The marriage of catholics, even if only one party is baptised, is governed not only by divine law but also by canon law, without prejudice to the competence of the civil authority in respect of the merely civil effects of the marriage. Canon 1060 Marriage enjoys the favour of law. Consequently, in doubt the validity of a marriage must be upheld until the contrary is proven. Canon 1061.1 A valid marriage between baptised persons is said to be merely ratified, if it is not consummated; ratified and consummated, if the spouses have in a human manner engaged together in a conjugal act in itself apt for the generation of offspring. To this act marriage is by its nature ordered and by it the spouses become one flesh. Canon 1061.2 If the spouses have lived together after the celebration of their marriage, consummation is presumed until the contrary is proven. Canon 1061.3 An invalid marriage is said to be putative if it has been celebrated in good faith by at least one party. It ceases to be such when both parties become certain of its nullity. Canon 1062.1 A promise of marriage, whether unilateral or bilateral, called an engagement, is governed by the particular law which the Episcopal Conference has enacted, after consideration of such customs and civil laws as may exist. Canon 1062.2 No right of action to request the celebration of marriage arises from a promise of marriage, but there does arise an action for such reparation of damages as may be due. Canon 1063 Pastors of souls are obliged to ensure that their own church community provides for Christ's faithful the assistance by which the married state is preserved in its christian character and develops in perfection. This assistance is to be given principally:

Canon 1063.1 by preaching, by catechetical instruction adapted to children, young people and adults, indeed by the use of the means of social communication, so that Christ's faithful are instructed in the meaning of christian marriage and in the role of christian spouses and parents; Canon 1063.2 by personal preparation for entering marriage, so that the spouses are disposed to the holiness and the obligations of their new state; Canon 1063.3 by the fruitful celebration of the marriage liturgy, so that it clearly emerges that the spouses manifest, and participate in, the mystery of the unity and fruitful love between Christ and the Church; Canon 1063.4 by the help given to those who have entered marriage, so that by faithfully observing and protecting their conjugal covenant, they may day by day achieve a holier and a fuller family life.

WHAT IS A FAMILY?
According to Canon 2202: A man and a woman united in marriage, together with their children, form a family. This institution is prior to any recognition by public authority, which has an obligation to recognize it. It should be considered the normal reference point by which the different forms of family relationship are to be evaluated. And in Canon 2204: The Christian family constitutes a specific revelation and realization of ecclesial communion, and for this reason it can and should be called a domestic church."9 It is a community of faith, hope, and charity; it assumes singular importance in the Church, as is evident in the New Testament.