"Catholic Wedding Ceremony"

The Catholic wedding ceremony is a special event. Therefore, Catholics are often searching for a non-judgmental, sacramental experience different from that offered by the institutional church. You may want to have a Catholic wedding but may not be permitted, for various reasons, by the institutional church.

Those entering into a second marriage, those experiencing religious differences with the church and others will find openness and acceptance.

The White Robed Benedictines will provide a Catholic wedding ceremony in a compassionate manner. Perhaps you have concerns about perceived barriers. They treat you with the same care Christ gave to all who came to him. Are these of concern to you?

The choice of location for your wedding is yours. Depending on weather and other factors ceremonies may be held out-of-doors. While the WRB does not maintain any church buildings we may have a church available for our use. You may also be able to use interdenominational churches and chapels for more formal settings.

Hotels, banquet halls, private homes, museums and other location are other options. A wedding consultant or the yellow pages can yield additional suggestions.

The WRB will be pleased to assist you in personalizing your Catholic wedding ceremony. There are many ways in which this can be accomplished. Options for readings, both from the scriptures and other sources, which speak to marriage are available. Vows can be written by you or chosen from more traditional options.

Ceremonies with special requirements can also be accommodated. Unity candles, roses to parents and other more traditional activities can be easily included. Discussing your wishes with your officiant is the best way to assure that your day is special.

Your Catholic wedding ceremony will be very similar to that celebrated in the Roman jurisdiction since we share the same liturgical forms. The Nuptial Mass is the preferred way of celebrating the sacrament.

Because the WRB is ecumenical, all people participating in the ceremony are invited to the altar for communion, regardless of religious affiliation.

On a practical side, it only adds a minimal amount of time to the length of the ceremony. Wedding ceremonies can also be celebrated outside of the Mass.

Catholics believe in the sanctity of marriage; they also realize that we are only too human. When a marriage ends through divorce, it is often prima facie evidence that the essential element of marriage did not exist to maintain the bond.

While they do not have an annulment or dispensation process, remarriage is allowed in order to avoid further human tragedy. From this perspective the WRB solemnizes remarriages with the joy and the peace of Christ.

As an ecumenical community, the WRB network is inclusive. They encourage you to consider how religious differences might impact your relationship. It is not one of those easily overlooked issues. They only ask that you raise any children in a loving household and teach them to love God and one another as He loves us, wholly and completely.

If you have any questions or are interested in finding out more, please contact us at catholicswac@sbcglobal.net