catholic nuptual mass invitation - alternative to "honor of your presence"?

verdesiempre14

Hi ladies,

My FI and I are preparing to order our invitations.  We are having a Nuptual Mass and I am not sure how I feel about "..request the honor of your presence" in our invitation because we don't want people to only be present at the Mass..we want them to participate!  

Maybe this is just a matter of symantics and I'm over-thinking this.

So my question is if anyone has used alternative wording, and, if so, if I could please see what you used?

Thank you kindly!!

agapecarrie

you can say "honor of your full, conscious, and active participation"...

just kidding.    It may be mere semantics, but I think its really cool you're thinking about that word...I hadn't. 

I think substituting the word "participation" for presence might be an idea, but then you may have people thinking they are going to have to do something more than normal wedding mass stuff. 

ootmother2

We used the traditional wedding invitation wording with no mention on a nuptial mass.  I assumed that our very Catholic family would pick up on the "Our Lady of the Assumption Church".

Perhaps we assumed too much but I've never seen it worded any other way, Catholic, Protestant, or Jewish.  Obviously civil ceremonies get a different wording.

ElisabethJoanne

Oh, there's another way. I haven't looked it up yet, 'cause invitations are still months away for us. But it still uses "presence." It's something like "the honor of your presence at the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony and Nuptial Mass uniting XX and XY."

These days, we talk about being "fully present" in important situations. Maybe OP can console herself by considering that way of thinking about an invitation is possible.

We have atheists on our guest list, and I might feel funny asking any more of them than simply being present. I know the Church teaches that everyone who believes in God can have a conscious and active participation at Mass. I don't know about atheists. My hope is for our website to have lots of information about the Mass beforehand, encouraging people to sing with the congregation, providing instructions on standing, sitting, kneeling ahead of time. Maybe no one will read it, but maybe it will be a way to "touch" any wedding web site stalkers among our guests. I know it's hard for me to really derive serious spiritual benefit while attending a strange rite in a strange church, but things I've read from friends online have heavily influenced how I live the Faith.

cebrady89

I am also having a full Nuptial Mass, but I am using the traditional wording.

I think people will undersand from the name of the church that they will be attending a Catholic mass. 

If I saw an invitation asking for my participation in the ceremony, I would honestly be a little creeped out - I'd start thinking that something out of the ordinary would be taking place during the mass that I'd need to participate in.

If I were you, I'd stick to "honour of your presence"

verdesiempre14

hi ladies,

i should clarify...i'm not debating between whether to say "honor of your presence" or "honor of your participation" ... i'm open to anything that might altogether be more cohesive.  "honor of your presence" is THE traditional wording, but, if I really want to analyze it, matching it with a Catholic Mass is sort of like matching a circle peg with an octogonal hole.  

we may ultimately go with the traditional wording..just thinking this through, and very much appreciating the feedback from this board. 

Calypso1977

you shouldnt force people to participate, particularly if they are not catholic.  i do not participate in the religious customs of other churches when i attend weddings in those faiths.  i am quiet, polite and respectful, but i do not worship in houses of other faiths. 
i would go with the traditional wording.

the Mass should be mentioned if you are having it since a catholic church does not always mean mass (many today opt to not have mass).

mica178

I think the traditional wording makes the most sense.  The guests are present for your vows.  Really, the only people participating in the ceremony are you, the priest(s), the readers, musicians and cantors.  Everyone else is witnessing the ceremony but not actively participating.  The communion part is for them (and not every all of them if they aren't all Catholic and/or in a state of grace), not you.  Alternate wording would be confusing to your guests or not impart the correct amount of importance of this sacrament you are about to receive.

I, too, believe you should mention the Mass since not all Catholic weddings include a full Mass with communion.  That's a timing difference of 15-20 minutes (sometimes more), and indicates to your guests that they should prepare themselves if they plan on receiving communion.