About the Mass

Catholicism can be a confusing faith. Often times, even people who have spent their entire lives living in and learning about their faith do not fully understand why we do what we do. Therefore, I would like to share a brief explanation of what it means to enter into and witness a Catholic marriage.

There are seven sacraments in the Catholic faith: Baptism, Reconciliation (or Confession), Holy Communion, Confirmation, Matrimony, Holy Orders, and the Anointing of the Sick. Most Catholics will receive six of these seven sacraments during their lifetime (Holy Orders cannot be taken if an individual has committed to Matrimony, and vise versa). In witnessing and experiencing each sacrament Catholics receive God's grace and love for us in different ways, both as individuals and as a congregation. In Baptism we first experience God's love and acceptance, in Reconciliation we understand His unending forgiveness. Holy Communion allows us to realize Christ's profound sacrifice for us; in Confirmation we receive the strength and guidance of The Holy Spirit and renew the commitment made for us by our parents and God-parents at Baptism. Marriage, however, is a different kind of sacrament. Marriage is the only sacrament we receive where we pledge, in Christ's example, to be vessels of God's love for us by devoting ourselves to the happiness, well-being, and spiritual health of another.

The sacrament of marriage is a powerful and symbolic part of the Church. It represents the mutual love and giving between Christ and His Church (see Ephesians 5:21-33) and the unconditional love and fidelity of God toward his people. Through marriage, we experience God's unending love for us in a new and unique way. True marriage is a completely selfless act where two people come together and give themselves wholly to another person. Therefore, it is the couple entering into the marriage that creates the sacramental bond. Everyone present acts as a witness, not only to the commitment of the husband and wife, but also to the physical embodiment of God's unending love. The devotion of the married couple to one another exemplifies God's commitment to us. The continued devotion of husband and wife gives those who encounter them the strength to remember that God will never abandon them.

Receiving a sacrament is a momentous event in the life of a Catholic and deepens our relationship with and understanding of God. Thus, while the sacrament of marriage is joyful it is also extremely serious and, for most, will only occur once in our lives. When you consider the social significance of entering into marriage with the religious importance of this commitment it is easy to understand why such a high degree of reverence, formality, and etiquette required of each and every individual present at this joyous occasion.

A Catholic Marriage occurs within the celebration of the Mass. While we haven't finished planning all of the details of our Mass celebration, the general structure is as follows. The families and wedding party will process in to the church with the priest and we will start by celebrating the Liturgy of the Word. This part of the Mass includes two readings from scripture and the Gospel Proclamation. Following this, we will celebrate the sacrament of marriage where Webb and I will recite our vows. Afterwards, we will enter the Liturgy of the Eucharist. All Catholics who have received their First Holy Communion are invited to receive communion at this time. Those of other faiths are invited, if they wish, to come forward with their arms folded across their chest during Communion to receive a blessing from the priest. Following communion, the Mass will end with the recessional blessing. Don't worry about remembering everything, the program at the wedding will have the layout of the Mass. :)

I hope this clarified a little bit about this portion of the Catholic Faith without overwhelming you with information. If you have any questions please contact me! Webb and I are truly looking forward to celebrating to extraordinarily special event with you!