Catholic Wedding- HELP!!

Re: Catholic Wedding- HELP!!

• Summer2011Bride member

  

  March 2013 edited March 2013

  I might also post this on the Catholic weddings board over on the left hand side.
  
  I grew up Catholic, though I'm not practicing anymore. I do believe you can have a ceremony in the Catholic Church without it being a full Mass.
  
  However I've attended a full Mass Catholic ceremony and about half the congregation was not Catholic. They just stayed seated/kneeling during Communion and did not go up. It was totally fine.

  
  
  
  
  

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• daria24 member

  

  March 2013

  As PP have said, you can have a Catholic wedding without the consecration of the Eucharist, but usually this ceremony is for couples where only one party is Catholic. I've been to a lot of Catholic weddings, and I've never heard that non-Catholic guests felt left out of Communion. I really wouldn't worry about that honestly. 

  

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• MobKaz member

  

  March 2013

  The only other thing left to add is that you should speak with your priest for "option choices".

  
  

  At my daughter's mass, Father explained that for anyone not of the Catholic faith, they were welcome to process up to the altar with arms crossed against their chest.  This would signal to Father that although they were not able to receive Communion, they would be asking for a blessing. 

  
  

  Many of our non-Catholic guests chose to participate in that blessing.

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• Simply Fated member

  

  March 2013

  This isn't something to stress over, I promise. As a Jew, I never feel left out at masses or anything like that. My religion is my choice, not something anyone forced onto me. Maybe if they forced me to be Jewish and then told me I wasn't allowed to participate in certain Catholic traditions, then I guess I'd feel left out.

  
  

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• tally7 member

  

  March 2013

  not an issue don't worry those who can't take communion just wont go up

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• renegade gaucho member

  

  March 2013

  It's nothing to stress about.  Those who aren't Catholic can still go up to get a blessing from the priest, if they so choose, or they can simply remain in their seats.  I'm an atheist, but most of the weddings I've attended in my lifetime have been Catholic, and I understand the meaning of communion to Catholics and I understand why it would be inappropriate for me to participate.  I just sit quietly for a few minutes and it's not a big deal.

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• michaelkrista

  

  March 2013

  Thanks to everyone for all your helpful posts!! The biggest issue here is that I come from a VERY judgemental, VERY anti-Catholic family of origin. I wasn't raised with the attitude that Catholics are devil worshippers or anything- just that they don't believe what we do. They don't believe that Jesus rose from the dead- they have Him still on the Cross, after all.
  My friends, however, have been very supportive & very excited that I am converting to Catholocism (both Catholic & non-Catholic), as they see what a difference it has made in my life.
  So, having the wedding in the Church, and then my anti-Catholic, judgemental family will feel that I am slapping them in the face by inviting them and them being unable to participate fully in the celebration.
  I do know & understand that the Eucharist is a big part of the Sacrament, however, I'm just not sure it'd be appropriate given the circumstances. If we were to decide to celebrate the Eucharist, could it be just between my groom & I?
  We're going to meet with Father when my fiance gets back into town, hopefully that will clear up alot of questions we have.
  Thanks again for everyone's help!! Helped to ease my anxiety!
  

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• OliveOilsMom member

  

  March 2013

  Discuss everything with your priest.  Honestly tell him how your family is anti-Catholic.  See what he suggests.  It could be possible for just you and FI to receive Communion.  Good Luck.

  

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• monkeysip member

  

  March 2013

  In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_ceremony-ideas_catholic-wedding-help?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:10Discussion:d0e6c96d-ee63-4d66-8553-02917e4c6a85Post:317a45bc-7f88-4a11-86b1-402f3aa238f0">Re: Catholic Wedding- HELP!!</a>:
  [QUOTE]Discuss everything with your priest.  Honestly tell him how your family is anti-Catholic.  See what he suggests.  It could be possible for just you and FI to receive Communion.  Good Luck.
  Posted by OliveOilsMom[/QUOTE]
  
  It is required that every mass have public communion, meaning open to all Catholics present (not non-catholics, obviously).  You can't have private communion (just B&G) at the mass.  That would kind of defeat the whole uniting purpose of the eucharist.

  
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