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Catholics/can i officiate a wedding??
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QUESTION: I am a Catholic, and I have a very close friend who has asked me to be the officiant at her wedding because I am also friends with the groom, and have known them since before they met.
They have both said it would mean a lot to them for me to perform the ceremony, however it involves going online to become "ordained" as an officiant.
Does this present a problem in terms of my standing with the Church? Am I prohibited from doing this favor?
It doesn't appear from these online sites that signing up to be able to perform the ceremony requires a declaration of faith or acceptance of another doctrine. And the last thing I want to do is let down two very good friends by refusing their request.
Thanks.
ANSWER: Dear Robert:
Thank you for your question.
In order to give the most accurate answer, or beginning of an answer, I would need to know whether those (or at least one of them) getting married are Catholic or not.
I do know that those who are Catholic and function as judges or magistrates are authorized by the state to perform civil marriage ceremonies within their jurisdiction.
I am assuming that as a Catholic you know that some kind of "ordination" from an online site does not mean that you become ordained in the Catholic sense of the Sacrament of Holy Orders as a Deacon, Priest, or Bishop; while it could authorize you to perform marriage ceremonies.
You would need to get permission from your Pastor (if not maybe even your Bishop) to carry out such a ceremony to be a Catholic in good-standing.
So in the final analysis, you would need to determine whether or not you have permission from Church Authorities to carry out such a marriage ceremony, and you would need to determine whether or not the couple is entering into a "lawful" marriage.
Thanks.
Fr. Timothy Johnson
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Thanks for your thorough answer.. The bride in this case is a non-Catholic Christian, and the groom is Catholic.
If that shedds any new light on the situation, please don't hesitate to give me a firm answer on whether this would be a good idea or not. Thanks again
Hi, Robert:
In the case you describe, the groom is bound by the Church Law called "Canonical Form." I am presuming that the couple is doing their marriage preparation with a Priest?
If not, then your friend is in violation of Church Law, and would be getting married outside the Authority of the Catholic Church. In such a case, I would not get involved, not even attend the wedding.
If they are doing marriage preparation with the Priest, then for you to receive the vows, they would have to get a "Dispensation from Canonical Form"; though the case you describe would be extremely unusual, and I could not be certain they would even grant the dispensation in such a case. You would need to talk to the Priest doing their Marriage Preparation.
Fr. Timothy Johnson
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Answers by Expert:
Fr. Timothy Johnson
Expertise
A Traditional Catholic Priest, validly and licitly ordained, incardinated legally and canonically in the Diocese of Fargo, and in good-standing with my Local Ordinary (Bishop) on active assignment at a rural Tri-Parish. I can provide honest and balanced answers to questions on topics pertaining to Traditional Roman Catholicism of the Latin Church (Councils of Trent and Vatican II)and a lot about the Eastern Catholic Churches, including the Sacred Liturgy, Sacred Scripture, Church History, the use of the Latin language, the tradition of Sacred Music, and current events in the Catholic Church from a traditional, historical and balanced perspective.
Experience
I have been ordained a Roman Catholic Priest since June 2001.
Organizations
Knights of Columbus; Church Music Association of America (CMAA)
Education/Credentials
Ordained Priest, 02 JUN 2001; Ordained Deacon, 27 JAN 2001; MA - Dogmatic/Systematic Theology;
MDiv - Professional Degree from Seminary;
2-Years formation with Canons Regular of Premontre including studies and experience in Sacred Liturgy, Chant, Latin, Sacraments, Spirituality.
BA - Scholastic/Thomistic Philosophy;
BA - Liberal Arts;
AA - General Studies.
Past/Present Clients
I serve 3-small, rural Parish Communities in Easter North Dakota
I converted to the Roman Catholic Church in 1981, at the age of 15.
Over the years I have done work as an organist, cantor, and choir director for the Latin Rite (English & Latin) Mass (Liturgy of the Eucharist), and even for the Hours of the Divine Office.
I have worked as a cantor for a Melkite Byzantine Catholic Church.
Presently my pastoral and administrative duties as a Catholic Priest do not allow me as much time as I used to have to devote to Sacred Music; but for my weekend Masses and Solemnities within my Tri-Parish, I offer High Sung Mass in English. Weekday Mass is typically Low Mass (recited Mass) in English, though on occasion I will offer the "Tridentine Mass" in Latin, which I usually offer on my "Day Off", as well. And now, in light of the "Motu Proprio" by his Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI placing the extraordinary usage of the Roman Rite back into the mainstream of the Catholic Church, I have been offering a regularly scheduled SUN, 2:00 PM Tridentine Latin Mass with a community of the faithful that has a stable existence.
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