Normally, for a purely Catholic marriage, we expect that the priest conducts it the same way as a typical service, so having a mass within a wedding is possible because both partners are aware of a Catholic wedding’s rites and rituals; however, it may be different if it is a mixed marriage.
So, can you have a Catholic wedding without mass? The church emphasizes that a wedding should be valid and sacramental; hence, having it without a mass does not take away the union’s importance. Therefore, a couple can have a purely Catholic or an ecumenical wedding even without mass. However, having a mixed marriage without mass means that the order of the marriage rites may change. The church may have to do away with some Catholic rituals, such as sharing the communion (this will depend on the particular church and the couple’s preference).
The Catholic Church has over the years, allowed mixed marriages between its believers to take place at the church. The main reason for this is that any Catholic wedding is a sacramental affair, which doesn’t change even if the other partner is a Non- Catholic or a Non-Christian.
If you are a couple in a mixed Catholic marriage, one main issue may be whether to have a nuptial mass or not. It is a viable concern given that you may wish to have a neutral ground to accommodate all your guests, especially if they are from different religious affiliations. Similarly, you may want to do away with the mass altogether, even if you are both Catholic. We intend to find out what happens in both cases. What form will your wedding take? And will it still be a valid wedding?
The Church’s Stand
One never-changing tradition of the Catholic Church is that the wedding has to occur within the church where there is God’s presence. This rule is one of the most consistent rules of the church as long as one partner is a baptized Catholic.
However, the church does not have a say in the partner that a believer chooses to marry. They allow marriage as long as the believer is secure in the decision that he/ she has made. Thus, the church can adjust some of its rituals to make the other party feel comfortable during such a ceremony.
In mixed marriages, it is common for the church to conduct a wedding without mass as long as the officiating priest/ bishop approves. He has to consent to the wedding and the preferred form that the couple wants it to take since some church leaders may be stringent with their rules. In contrast, others may be more liberal, so the key is to discuss all the contentious issues before the wedding to know your particular church’s stand in such matters.
The church also understands that there are family dynamics to address in matters of the conduct of a mixed marriage. That even if both parties are Christian, it may still be a hurdle to include the aspects of a typical nuptial mass in the ceremony.
Sometimes, the other partner’s family may not be accommodating to the idea of having the priest perform the Catholic rites during the ceremony, so they may wish to skip them altogether. Considering that marriage is also a family affair, the church has to find common ground to accommodate such concerns.
If both family sides agree that the marriage can take the typical form of a Christian union, the minister can read the scripture and bless the couple. However, the wedding may still be outside mass, which means that some aspects of a Catholic mass, such as taking the Holy Communion and the Eucharist Liturgy, may not be present. But even if the wedding is out of mass, there are still some components of a typical Catholic ceremony that will stay the same.
Differences Between a Nuptial Mass and a Wedding Ceremony
A nuptial mass refers to the wedding mass in a Catholic Church that involves incorporating the Catholic rites and rituals within a wedding ceremony. Some of these rituals include the taking of the sacrament either in the morning or early afternoon. It is typical for a baptized Catholic couple to have a nuptial mass during their wedding since they can partake of the Holy Communion.
A nuptial mass can last up to an hour, depending on the length of the Catholic rites. For this mass, the priest reads the scripture first, followed by the marriage vows. Those in attendance then partake of the Eucharist, the communion, and finally the concluding rite.
On the other hand, a wedding ceremony in the church is a nuptial mass without rituals such as the Eucharist and the Holy Communion. The mass takes a shorter time (30-40 minutes) since it does not involve the aspects of a nuptial mass. There are readings after the gathering, the marriage vows, and the concluding rite in such a ceremony. Note that this is the normal order of a Christian wedding but not necessarily that of a Catholic church.
Let’s look at some glaring differences between a nuptial mass and a wedding ceremony.
| A Nuptial Mass | A Wedding Ceremony |
| It takes a longer time (up to one hour). | It takes a shorter time (20-30 minutes). |
| It mostly takes place between two baptized Catholics with the incorporation of all Catholic ceremony rituals. | It mostly happens when one party is a baptized Catholic, and the other is a Non-Catholic or a Non-Christian. |
| There is the Eucharist Liturgy and then partaking of the communion. | The ceremony does not involve the Holy communion since some members are not Catholics. |
| The ceremony follows the guidelines of the Catholic Church. | The ceremony is more flexible and can choose to incorporate or do away with some aspects of the nuptial mass. |
| The couple and most attendees are either baptized Catholics or aware of a nuptial ceremony’s rites. | Some attendees may be Non-Catholics; thus, they may not be familiar with the order of a Catholic wedding ceremony. |
Reasons for Having a Catholic Wedding Outside Mass
Canonically, there is no specific rule that states that a wedding must be within a mass. The church stipulates that the wedding must follow the basic proceedings of a Catholic wedding ceremony, officiated in the Catholic Church by an ordained priest from one or both partner’s parish.
The church allows a mixed marriage to occur without the mass since some guests present may not be conversant with the order of a Catholic mass. Similarly, the church can allow a purely Catholic wedding to occur without mass due to certain unavoidable circumstances. What are some factors that may prompt a couple to have a wedding outside mass?
- When the wedding has to take place in a short time.
If the couple has no option but to have the wedding on short notice, they may do away with a nuptial mass and have a ceremony instead (even when they are both Catholics). If the parish bishop will be leaving or a partner will be traveling, the most convenient cause of action would be to conduct the ceremony as fast as possible.
- Marriage between a Catholic and a Non-Christian.
Since one partner is un-baptized, they will not partake of the Holy Communion. The church does not allow non-members to participate in the Eucharist; thus, the wedding must be outside mass.
- Marriage between a Catholic and a Non-Catholic Christian.
Here, the church can allow the wedding to be within or without mass depending on the particular church and the presiding priest. Thus, the Catholic spouse and the Catholic guests can share the Holy Communion, but others can skip it altogether. However, the most convenient action would be to have the wedding outside mass to eliminate any confusion that would make a specific group of people feel left out.
- When most guests are Non-Catholic.
The couple may decide to skip the Catholic rites if most of their guests are not Catholic; this ensures that all the attendees feel included in the ceremony even if they have a different religious standing.
- When the parish priest is unavailable.
Given that the resident priest conducts a typical mass, his absence may be a viable reason to do away with the nuptial mass and instead have a normal wedding ceremony.
- If having a nuptial mass will bring contention or chaos.
Sometimes, the Non-Catholic family may have reservations about the conduct of Catholic rites and customs. In cases, having a mass may bring them discontent; thus, the prudent thing to do is conduct a wedding ceremony without the typical outline of a nuptial mass. Doing so is more peaceful and satisfying for both groups.
What Is the Order of a Catholic Wedding Without Mass?
If you are planning or attending a wedding without mass in a Catholic Church, you may want to know the ceremony’s basic outline. Note that this mass is fairly shorter and takes the form of a typical nuptial mass without the sharing of the Holy Communion.
Introductory Rites
It is the first rite of a wedding in a Catholic Church that involves the arrival of the church leaders, the bride, groom, and procession. The congregation sings as the church leaders and the officiating priest arrive at the church altar. This form and order depend on the customs of the particular church.
One way to conduct it is by having the leaders and the priest meet the bridal party at the church’s door, then they all enter the church. Another form is to have the church leaders arrive first, followed by the bridal party. Either way, once everybody arrives, the priest can officially start the ceremony with an opening prayer.
The Liturgy Word
This stage involves the ministration of God’s word by the readers, and there are usually three readings. The most preferred books are the Psalms and any other relevant scripture connected to the occasion. The lector does the first reading (from the Old Testament), then the church choir and the congregation sings a responsorial psalm.
Next, we have the second reading by the selected reader/ lector (from the New Testament), then the gospel acclamation. The attendees stand as the cantor leads them in the singing (the usual acclamation is the Alleluia). The priest then proclaims the gospel, and lastly performs the Homily. The Homily involves teaching the couple about the essence of their union and advises them on the best way to live a happy married life with Christ as the foundation of their marriage.
The Matrimony Celebration
At this stage, the officiating priest enquires about the intention of their union. He asks if they are present at the ceremony of their free will and whether they intend to raise the subsequent children according to Christ’s teachings. If they agree, they exchange consent in the form of vows. These vows may take various forms depending on the church and the couple’s preference.
However, the most common form is where the priest leads as the couple responds with “I do” or “I will.” Lastly, the priest blesses the couple after they exchange rings. Accompanying this step is the Universal and the Lord’s Prayer. The final blessing is the nuptial blessings, where the couple kneels in front of the altar as the priest blesses the union.
Conclusion Rites
The priest then blesses the couple and the congregation as the ceremony draws to a close. Here, the couple and their witnesses may sign their marriage licenses in another room or the attendees’ presence (but not at the altar). In conclusion, the priest then dismisses the entire congregation as the procession leaves the church, accompanied by a closing song (the song may be a hymn or an instrumental).
Contemporary Issues
The Catholic Church emphasizes that a wedding is a celebration between the couple and their loved ones. The only way to make this happen is by easing the restrictions so that all participants feel included in the ceremony, regardless of their religious conformity.
As long as they respect the church’s rules and sanctity, even Non-Catholics are welcome for the celebration. The church also gives the couple the liberty to decide the form that their wedding will take. Thus, they may wish to conduct their wedding even without mass, especially if one of them is Non-Catholic.
In the spirit of inclusivity, some churches accept co-officiated ceremonies. Here, one partner can invite his/ her minister or church leader to be a part of the ceremony. Doing so allows both the churches to participate in the function, with both leaders acting as witnesses. However, the Catholic Church does not allow administering two different vows in the same wedding by different religious leaders.
Only an ordained Catholic priest can officiate a wedding ceremony in the Catholic Church. This rule also bars him from joining a couple in another church or anywhere outside the resident church. To solve this, the couple may have two parallel ceremonies to include both religions on their big day, but for them to have a wedding in a Non-Catholic church, the need to obtain dispensation first. Accepting this means that the church has allowed them to have the wedding outside the Catholic form.
Suppose the couple strongly wishes to have the other religious leader at their wedding. In that case, they can invite him to participate in a different capacity, such as reading the scripture or blessing their union. This way, the minister will still have actively participated in the ceremony. Under the parish bishop’s advisement, the church can allow this as long as the wedding is outside mass.
Lastly, we need to address whether the marriage is still valid even if the couple does it without mass. If the bride and the groom are both baptized Catholics, the wedding with or without mass is automatically valid since the church considers it a sacrament. If the church gives the go-ahead for the Catholic to marry a Non-Catholic, the wedding is also valid. The key aspect of a catholic ceremony is the affirmation of consent and the nuptial blessings, so even without the Holy Communion, you need not worry about your wedding’s validity.
Finally
As much as the Catholic Church encourages its members to marry within the church, marrying from other denominations is still acceptable. For the sake of inclusivity, the church has also been considerate enough to let the couple invite Non-Catholics and even decide the form that their wedding will take. As long as the wedding follows a typical Catholic ceremony’s basic outline, the church is okay with having the wedding without the mass.
A mixed wedding aims to involve all the members regardless of their religion. So if you are planning to invite Non-Catholics to your ceremony, there are certain elements to consider. First, you can outline the service’s order with detailed instructions on the expected responses during the readings.
It may also help to print out the hymns since some guests may not know the words by heart. Given that the service is fairly shorter, it is unlikely that the guests will feel out of place, so you can go ahead and enjoy your out of mass Catholic wedding knowing that it will still be valid.
