Poncho and Juanita Hernandez from Santa Rosa de Lima Parish in Benavides in the Diocese of Corpus Christi place the lazo over Matthew and Jes Cardenas at their June wedding at St. Martin de Porres Parish in the Diocese of Austin. The ceremony of the lazo is part of the new marriage rite.
Adam Dusenbury, Contributed photo
The bishops of the United States requested Vatican approval for changes to the "Rite of Marriage" in 2013 and the Holy See gave its consent earlier this year. The changes, much like the changes made to the Missal in 2011, are an effort to make the translation from the Latin more consistent.
The "Rite of Marriage," now called "Order of Celebrating Matrimony," has been available for use on a voluntary basis since Sept. 8, the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It becomes mandatory on Dec. 30, the Feast of the Holy Family.
In an interview with Our Sunday Visitor, Father Andrew Menke, associate director of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Secretariat of Divine Worship, said about the change in the title of the new rite, “The bishops felt that the word ‘matrimony’ has a more sacred connotation than ‘marriage.’ They thought the change was important in the American context, where we’ve seen attempts to redefine what marriage even means.”
While an improved translation was the impetus for the change, the new rite includes other modifications intended to involve the faithful in a more meaningful way.
The ceremony of matrimony is "supposed to be a Liturgical procession with the minister and the bridal party. The cross should be part of the procession…Cross bearers, candles and minister set the tone." Adam Dusenbury, Contributed photo |
"Overall it’s a wonderful change," said Ben Nguyen, Chancellor for the Diocese of Corpus Christi. "It is much more consistent and the expanded theological and catechetical section is absolutely fantastic."
The introduction to the rite—which went from 18 to 44 paragraphs—places an emphasis on the theology of marriage and offers more catechesis. These theology and catechetical instruction can be used for marriage preparation and in the discussion between the pastor and the couple in deciding optional elements to be included in the wedding Mass.
"It greatly elaborates on the theology of marriage, the importance of marriage, the dignity of marriage," said Father Dan Merz, SLD pastor of St. George and Our Lady Help of Christians parishes in the Diocese of Jefferson City, Missouri. "It talks about the sacred character of marriage, so the wedding itself should be sacred."
Beginning with the procession, following are some highlights to the new marriage ceremony.
While the wedding procession may take place in the customary manner, the new rite offers the opportunity for variation, Father Merz said. "It is supposed to be a Liturgical procession with the minister and the bridal party. The cross should be part of the procession. It is not a beauty pageant. Cross bearers, candles and minister set the tone."
The church in the United State is providing best practices, including three basic options, Father Merz said. These options include for bridesmaids and groomsmen and bride and groom; or groom with his parents and bride and her parents; or groom by himself and bride escorted by her father to follow the minister into the church.
"The Church is really trying to emphasize the bride and groom ministering to each other or the whole family as part of the wedding," Father Merz said.
The Introductory Rite at the beginning of Mass itself is new. The new language also seeks to bring the community into the celebration asking them to "support" the couple "with our affection…our friendship, and…our prayers…"
Another significant change is the omission of the Penitential Act and the addition of the "Gloria".
The new rite also provides for additional readings from which a couple can choose. The couple, with the consent of the priest, can choose the readings but a new requirement is that one of the readings must specifically address marriage.
If the wedding takes place during the Easter season, Nguyen said, the first reading must be taken from the Book of Revelation, Chapter 19, which speaks about the wedding feast of the lamb. If the wedding takes place on the day of a solemnity, the readings for that day's Mass are required.
Something else that is new is the alternate use of the phrase "to love and cherish," in the Consent; which reads, in part, "for better, for worse; for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health; to love and to cherish until death do us part."
"We're used to it because we are used to the Sarum Rite in the English tradition, but that wording is not available in the Latin tradition," Nguyen said.
"For the Reception of Consent there is a new beautiful prayer that evokes Biblical images of marriage," Father Merz said.
After the new dialogue, an exchange between the priest and the assembly takes place where the priest says "Let us bless the Lord", and the assembly responds "Thanks be to God." This is similar to the Chrism Mass where the bishop asks priests to renew their promises—or as in an ordination—and then turns to the assembly and, the people all respond "Thanks be to God."
"It's an opportunity to draw the whole assembly in. The whole Church has a stake and responsibility in the marriage not just the two getting married," Father Merz said.
After the Blessing and Giving of Rings, the Blessing and Giving of the Arras can be done. This is one of two new options to the marriage ceremony adopted from Hispanic wedding ceremony. The other is the lazo.
While these traditions are often associated with Hispanic weddings, they are in fact traced to ancient times, according to Father Merz. The arras involves the exchanging of coins, which are symbolic of sharing of material and spiritual resources in the marriage.
After the Blessing of the Arras or the Blessing and Giving of the Rings, if the Arras are not part of the ceremony, the assembly will sing a hymn or canticle of praise.
The Blessing and Placing of the Lazo or Veil takes place at the beginning of the Liturgy of the Eucharist. The lazo symbolizes an "indissoluble union" of the couple.
While the new marriage rite introduces new aspects to enrich the marriage ceremony, the Latin Rite itself has always made room for local customs that also add to the ceremony in a meaningful way.
"The sacrament of marriage is not a social convention, an empty ritual or merely the outward sign of a commitment. The sacrament is a gift given for the sanctification and salvation of the spouses, since 'their mutual belonging is a real representation, through the sacramental sign, of the same relationship between Christ and the Church…'," Pope Francis said in Amoris Laetitia.