Is weather the only reason, or is there a more religious reasoning? If we can have mass outdoors, why can't we have a wedding outdoors as well? It seems as though being able to be surrounded by God's beautiful nature would add to the ceremony (although churches certainly have their fair share of beauty!) I certainly don't think the Church is being "mean," but I was at friend's non-Catholic wedding a couple of weeks ago that was outdoors and was just wondering what the reason was. What a coincidence that you brought this up.
seriously, though... Father, I'm fairly ignorant of the canonical / juridical reasoning, but I always teach this: that as beautiful as nature is (or can be) it is still nature. when we look at a marriage there is something going on that transcends nature. It is not the mere coupling of a male and a female as mates in accord with the natural order, but instead the mutual self donation of two of God's children in a life-giving sacramental bond. The wedding feast at cana is a great illustration, i think, because Jesus transforms water, something very natural and common, into wine, something that transcends nature. If we invite him into our marriages we will see that he does the same thing, taking the natural attraction of a man and a woman and transforming it into a holy vocation. so it makes sense that if we are doing something super-natural we should do it in a setting that is super-natural. (also, as i understand it, outdoor mass is supposed to be only in matters of necessity, when a church is too small to hold a crowd that would fill, say, yankee stadium.)
People usually want their loved ones, relatives,and friends at their wedding why dont they want Jesus present in the holy Eucharist who is present in the tabernacle who is present in a Catholic church to be present at their wedding?
Canonically the reasoning is sacraments occur in the Church. The Church is where the sacred and the world intertwine most dramatically, and the sacraments are that same intertwining, so it is fitting that they be done in a Church if at all possible. A wedding, which always has to be scheduled months in advance, can always be scheduled in a Church. Baptism and other sacraments can be done outside the Church if necessity mandates, such as in hospitals and the like, but there would never need to be an emergency marriage that I can think of.
So from what I gather from these comments, the Church is the building? And the Sacraments are more valid if performed in a building? I thought the Church were the people?
It's both the people AND the building, which is more than just a mere building, it is sacred space and thus, the most appropriate place for the Sacraments.
romishgraffiti, that would definitely be my argument in this regard. I have a friend who wants to get married outside because it would make her day that much better. What she fails to realize is the error in her rhetoric. It's not just her big day or her husbands big day or her family's big day, but it is God's big day and the entire Body of Christ's big day! That and any sacrament is so much more meaningful when in the presence of the entire community of believers present in the Body of Christ in the tabernacle and in the pews.
Well said Matt. And ironically the problem you describe exists even when done in the church. I remember the JK wedding dance on YouTube. Then the Royal wedding couple did a parody of it. In the back-and-forth over whether this was appropriate or not, someone finally pointed out that most weddings are about ME! ME! ME! even without the silly and trivializing dancing.
Another reason may be (Didn't look it up, just my own thoughts)That we should be married in the true presence of God. Which he is in the tabernacle in the church.
Is weather the only reason, or is there a more religious reasoning? If we can have mass outdoors, why can't we have a wedding outdoors as well? It seems as though being able to be surrounded by God's beautiful nature would add to the ceremony (although churches certainly have their fair share of beauty!) I certainly don't think the Church is being "mean," but I was at friend's non-Catholic wedding a couple of weeks ago that was outdoors and was just wondering what the reason was. What a coincidence that you brought this up.
ReplyDeletea couple of additional examples: http://cheezburger.com/View/4015094528 and also http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqQ4gjiR8W4
ReplyDeleteseriously, though... Father, I'm fairly ignorant of the canonical / juridical reasoning, but I always teach this: that as beautiful as nature is (or can be) it is still nature. when we look at a marriage there is something going on that transcends nature. It is not the mere coupling of a male and a female as mates in accord with the natural order, but instead the mutual self donation of two of God's children in a life-giving sacramental bond. The wedding feast at cana is a great illustration, i think, because Jesus transforms water, something very natural and common, into wine, something that transcends nature. If we invite him into our marriages we will see that he does the same thing, taking the natural attraction of a man and a woman and transforming it into a holy vocation. so it makes sense that if we are doing something super-natural we should do it in a setting that is super-natural. (also, as i understand it, outdoor mass is supposed to be only in matters of necessity, when a church is too small to hold a crowd that would fill, say, yankee stadium.)
ReplyDeletePeople usually want their loved ones, relatives,and friends at their wedding why dont they want Jesus present in the holy Eucharist who is present in the tabernacle who is present in a Catholic church to be present at their wedding?
ReplyDeleteCanonically the reasoning is sacraments occur in the Church. The Church is where the sacred and the world intertwine most dramatically, and the sacraments are that same intertwining, so it is fitting that they be done in a Church if at all possible. A wedding, which always has to be scheduled months in advance, can always be scheduled in a Church. Baptism and other sacraments can be done outside the Church if necessity mandates, such as in hospitals and the like, but there would never need to be an emergency marriage that I can think of.
ReplyDeleteSo from what I gather from these comments, the Church is the building? And the Sacraments are more valid if performed in a building? I thought the Church were the people?
ReplyDeleteI thought the Church were the people?
ReplyDeleteIt's both the people AND the building, which is more than just a mere building, it is sacred space and thus, the most appropriate place for the Sacraments.
romishgraffiti, that would definitely be my argument in this regard. I have a friend who wants to get married outside because it would make her day that much better. What she fails to realize is the error in her rhetoric. It's not just her big day or her husbands big day or her family's big day, but it is God's big day and the entire Body of Christ's big day! That and any sacrament is so much more meaningful when in the presence of the entire community of believers present in the Body of Christ in the tabernacle and in the pews.
ReplyDeleteWell said Matt. And ironically the problem you describe exists even when done in the church. I remember the JK wedding dance on YouTube. Then the Royal wedding couple did a parody of it. In the back-and-forth over whether this was appropriate or not, someone finally pointed out that most weddings are about ME! ME! ME! even without the silly and trivializing dancing.
ReplyDeleteAnother reason may be (Didn't look it up, just my own thoughts)That we should be married in the true presence of God. Which he is in the tabernacle in the church.
ReplyDelete