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Does anyone know a Catholic priest that can do weddings outside of a church?

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Re: Does anyone know a Catholic priest that can do weddings outside of a church?

  • Reilly626Reilly626 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    In today's world with mixed religions flexibility is necessary.  My friend found the priest through a hospital.  I say whatever works for anyone, go for it!  I loved the mixed rabbi/priest wedding it was nice.  Personally I love an old church, but that is me.  We are fortunate both to be Catholic and really love our church and priest.  If I had a destination wedding I wouldn't have minded having whomever outside on the beaches of Bermuda... Good luck to all! 
  • Do you have the name of the churches or phone numbers?
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_anyone-catholic-priest-can-weddings-outside-of-church?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:90Discussion:9da4133a-5f3a-491b-be54-ccd6271b4482Post:7e0a5974-964a-4d62-8868-f385efee9153">Re: Does anyone know a Catholic priest that can do weddings outside of a church?</a>:
    [QUOTE]This whole thread leaves a bad taste in my mouth.  If you or your parents want your marriage to be blessed by the Church then get married in a Church.
    Posted by Lola Minnie[/QUOTE]

    Wow, Really? You must not know the process and hoops you have to jump through in order to marry in the church. My fiance and I were planning on getting married in the church until the Catholic Charities associated with our Diocese decided they did not want to work with us any more because we would not take off work to meet with them about our compatibility test. Asking two young people who are planning a wedding and buying a house to take off work is a crazy request and their decision to not allow us to continue in the process because we won't take off work has left us with no options. We both wanted very much to have our wedding recognized by the church and now we can't. There are many reasons people may want to have a priest and a Catholic wedding elsewhere. So keep your disgust to yourself.
  • Hi, Did you have any luck finding? I am in the same situation as you are.

  • My fiance and I are having our wedding ceremony outside, and then having a church ceremony (convalidation) at a later date.

    Our priest told us that the person marrying us at the outdoor wedding can't be of a religious occupation. Here's why: The officiant will write their occupation on the civil marriage paperwork, and if it says "minister" or "reverend" or something religious in nature, then the office workers processing the paperwork will categorize the ceremony as "religious." When that paperwork then goes to the church for the convalidation, the church will see that a "religious" ceremony has already taken place and therefore the church can't give you another religious ceremony.

    Our priest is our age (late 20s), so he may be following the rules exactly as not to cause any bumps in the road. But we're following his advice and are going to look for a non-religious officiant. Hopefully a friend!
  • I don't know if I'm too late but my fiance and I are in the exact same boat as you! We're using Father Jim from Contemporary Catholics - http://contemporarycatholics.org.

    He was really great when we met with him and he explained everything about the rules of the Catholic Church, etc. :)
  • We are having an outdoor ceremony at our venue.  Both of us are Catholic but haven't really been practicing.  Our families are insistant that our marriage be blessed.  The priest we were originally working with said he could no longer do it because the bishop did not approve of having it outside of a church.  Does anyone know of a priest that can do an outdoor ceremony?

    Your best bet is to find a non-denominational officiant.  NEVER go with an ex-priest or retired for that matter because they (and you) could get into a lot of trouble.  I had asked our priest and he had said the same thing that was told to @delainanicole.  
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  • In Response to Re: Does anyone know a Catholic priest that can do weddings outside of a church?:
    This whole thread leaves a bad taste in my mouth.  If you or your parents want your marriage to be blessed by the Church then get married in a Church.
    Posted by Lola Minnie
    Wow, Really? You must not know the process and hoops you have to jump through in order to marry in the church. My fiance and I were planning on getting married in the church until the Catholic Charities associated with our Diocese decided they did not want to work with us any more because we would not take off work to meet with them about our compatibility test. Asking two young people who are planning a wedding and buying a house to take off work is a crazy request and their decision to not allow us to continue in the process because we won't take off work has left us with no options. We both wanted very much to have our wedding recognized by the church and now we can't. There are many reasons people may want to have a priest and a Catholic wedding elsewhere. So keep your disgust to yourself.
    I don't know which diocese you are in, but in the Trenton Diocese, we just have to take ONE pre-cana class, that can be taken on a Saturday, in order to get married.  We have had no off the wall/crazy requests for taking a day off during the week or meeting outside of normal "business" hours to have a compatibility test done.  Both my fiancé and I want to get married in our church and we will be taking the class so that we can.  It is not something that we have to take time off to do.  You may want to double check with your church to see what the rules are, and if they want to meet during the week when you are unavailable, ask for a weekend meeting, say, Saturday morning or early evening.  
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  • In Response to Re: Does anyone know a Catholic priest that can do weddings outside of a church?:
    We were married outside by a Catholic priest who is a chaplin of a Catholic hospital, therefore he can perform services anywhere.  We were married in SJ and he came from PA, so you'll have to find one in your area.  Our marriage is rec. by the Church though.
    Posted by njbrowneyedgrl74
    I never knew you could do that.  I think it is great.  I never really understood HAVING to get married in a church for it to be rec. by the church, isn't God everywhere?  
    Just wanted to say that is awesome and the OP should look into this, it may be your only option for having an outdoor ceremony.
    We thought the same thing, but in order to have a marriage that is done outside of the church, say by an officiant, blessed and recognized by the catholic church, you have to go through the same process as those that are getting married by the church.  Yes, you can have someone who says they're a priest, like the ones that are from the hospitals (which IMHO is a bunch of baloney because if he is a TRUE catholic priest in the state of NJ, he can lose his priesthood for "being bought off"), but it wouldn't be "recognized" by the church.  
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  • Wow, I can't believe all of the nay sayers in here.  So much for "Catholics Come Home". 

    With that said, does anyone have that "find a priest" website? :P
  • NO Catholic priest can marry anyone outside of the church.  They can lose their priesthood if caught.

    You will need to find a non-denominational officiant.  Good luck!
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  • A priest cannot leave the church. However, I'm pretty sure it's ok for a deacon to marry you outside the church.
  • We are using Father George Lucey and he will marry outside of the church. He is a part of the American National Catholic Church and his email is georgerlucey@gmail.com

  • We are using Father George Lucey and he will marry outside of the church. He is a part of the American National Catholic Church and his email is georgerlucey@gmail.com

    I have a feeling that he is not really a priest.  NO priest in the State of NJ, can marry anyone outside of the church unless it is HOLY ground - IE a RC cemetery.   I feel bad for those that have used "priests" that have married outside of the church.  I don't know how that would work for the church to recognize the marriage as a sacrament.  
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    Michelle & Ronald
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    image 40 are party poopers
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  • Well he is not a roman catholic priest if that's what you mean, but he is part of the American National Catholic Church and is an ordained Bishop. The ANCC runs and feels the same exact way as a roman catholic church does and how they run their masses, it just doesn't have the same restrictions or bureaucratic red tape as the roman catholic church has been putting up for their parishioners. You would have to talk to Father George yourself to get the best understanding of it all. But I have been the happiest I have ever been with my religious faith as I am now being a part of this church. I actually enjoy going to church each week and look forward to it. I can't say I have ever felt that way going through CCD or church in my town growing up. 

    I am previously married, obviously divorced and tried to go through the annulment process and the archdiocese made it near in impossible to be given an answer whether they would grant the annulment or not so that my fiance and I could get married this upcoming February. I did all that was asked of me and a year's time was not long enough for me to sing, dance and bang tambourines for them. 

    Father George and St. Francis of Assisi accepted me as I am and will marry my fiance and I with a catholic mass. Will the roman catholic church accept it, most likely not because this is a church that is made up of priests that have walked away from the roman catholic church due to how rigid and judgmental they can be amongst their parishioners. This church also performs same sex marriages and does not deny the sacraments from anyone if they would like to receive them, because they are rightfully theirs.

    Sorry to sound like I am preaching but its just an option for you. It will look and feel just like a catholic mass and if there is other denominations involved that you would like incorporated Father George will incorporate them for you and will marry outside of the church. Look up reviews for yourself and speak with him as well, it might be a perfect solution for you and your family.
  • Can I have the name and number of the priest who married u?? I live in pa and my fiancé need to find one asap
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