Has anyone done a Catholic "Blessing" after their wedding?

[smoof]

We have been married over 2 years now. My parents just changed churches, and in conversation with the priest, the subject of a "blessing" came up. It is something I have been interested in because we were married by Rev. Jimmy (loved him!), but nothing I really looked into. From what they said it is like a VR. Of course, this had gotten my mother into wedding planning again...ugh. If you have done this, was it really like a VR? I was thinking it would just be a meeting with a priest, and "Amen, Amen."

 

[malibuconlee]

I've seen it done many ways. I've seen people do a civil service while waiting for annullment to come thru (or baby to be born) then have a huge wedding for their blessing

DH's sister went ahead and had her big wedding while waiting on her anullment, then about a year and a half later the priest "brought up" the fact that they needed to bless their marriage. Theirs wasn't a big deal. We didn't even go, it was only planned a couple of weeks in advance.

They did it on a Friday after work. Just the couple, their baby, the parents and siblings of the couple, and nieces/nephews. They wore the clothes they wore to work. My MIL tells me it didn't last long, and she never even took off her coat. Then they went out for dinner.

Their anniversary is the day they were married, not that day. I think it was only brought up because they had just done the baby's baptism, which again wasn't planned very far in advance. We found out a week before, 3 days after we moved out of state. (The baby was a preemie and they didn't want the baby around large crowds when she was first born, that's why it was put off)

 

[TiggerStac]

I've seen it done many ways. I've seen people do a civil service while waiting for annullment to come thru (or baby to be born) then have a huge wedding for their blessing

DH's sister went ahead and had her big wedding while waiting on her anullment, then about a year and a half later the priest "brought up" the fact that they needed to bless their marriage. Theirs wasn't a big deal. We didn't even go, it was only planned a couple of weeks in advance.

They did it on a Friday after work. Just the couple, their baby, the parents and siblings of the couple, and nieces/nephews. They wore the clothes they wore to work. My MIL tells me it didn't last long, and she never even took off her coat. Then they went out for dinner.

Their anniversary is the day they were married, not that day. I think it was only brought up because they had just done the baby's baptism, which again wasn't planned very far in advance. We found out a week before, 3 days after we moved out of state. (The baby was a preemie and they didn't want the baby around large crowds when she was first born, that's why it was put off)

Did they have to go thru pre-cana?? This was, also, brought up to hubby and I a few weeks ago, as we were planning our sons christening.

 

[TheSawas]

I'm subscribing to this thread and I really hope you get some more information. Obviously the Catholic church stays away from Disney World and we have been considering having Rev. Jack to do our ceremony (one of the only options we have going for us at the moment) and come home for a Catholic Blessing. We don't have any specifics about the process and I'd love to learn more about it. After DF and I have moved around a good bit in the past two years we don't really have a church to call "home." May I ask what kind of ceremony you had? You may also PM if you are more comfortable. I don't bite.

Thanks!

Jenny

 

[hmgolden]

We were originally going to get the blessing done after we returned from our Disney wedding. In the end we opted not too, but we did have to go to pre-cana when were planning on going through with it. How big the ceremony can be varies parish by parish, but for us it was going to be something like malibuconlee described.

Good Luck!

 

[Tiggerific04]

I've also heard that it varies from parish to parish, but DF and I were told that we will still have to go through pre-cana.

 

[TiggerStac]

I've also heard that it varies from parish to parish, but DF and I were told that we will still have to go through pre-cana.

Oh boy...well that really wouldn't work out well for our family. The church where I grew up it is a weekend retreat...well, I have 2 small children, one...very small 6 weeks. If we do go thru w/it, it will probably just be us and the kids. We are not a religous family. What I had orignally wanted to do when we got married was to have a small ceremony in the small chapel at the church w/just immediate family and my bridal party. Then I would have my large one later that day in the garden, where I had it...but nope, couldn't do it. The day I already had all planned w/hotel, etc was the day of teh church picnic and nothing is done on that day . I spoke with the priest who did DS's christening last weekend, as he was inquiring why we weren't married in the church and he was very surprised that they wouldnt' do it for me that am...he said he would have. Oh well...

I'll have to ask the church I grew up in and the one where I live now...maybe one of the doesn't make you do pre-cana...

 

[Chantelle]

We are planning on having our marriage blessed after our wedding. We are both catholic and wanted to have our marriage validated in the church for the sake of our parents. That was their biggest issue in having the disney wedding and this allows us to meet their wishes.

We are planning to have our marriage blessed and integrating it with a reception back home. This will allow guests who are unable to make it to disney to see us exchange our vows and feel like they are part of our wedding.

In order to have this done, we do have to go through a marriage prep course here, but it is a short course and I have heard it can be quite helpful for any couple.

 

[kaelarad]

I may be able to help. If you are married in a religious ceremony in another christian denomination, I don't believe you can get the validation (Catholic Blessing). The Catholic Church recognizes the marriage. But the best idea is to ask your priest ahead of time.

 

[Tiggerific04]

I may be able to help. If you are married in a religious ceremony in another christian denomination, I don't believe you can get the validation (Catholic Blessing). The Catholic Church recognizes the marriage. But the best idea is to ask your priest ahead of time.

AFAIK, the Catholic Church does not recognize any marriage ceremony that is not performed by an actual priest inside of a Catholic Church. I suppose this might depend on the priest/parish and what they'll allow, but marriage is a sacrament and sacraments can only be received in that manner. The only exception I know of is if a Roman Catholic couple is married by an Old Catholic priest. I'm not sure how it works if one person is Catholic and the other isn't and they get married in that person's place of worship. I think the RC church still requires the convalidation ceremony (blessing) for it to be recognized.

 

[malibuconlee]

I may be able to help. If you are married in a religious ceremony in another christian denomination, I don't believe you can get the validation (Catholic Blessing). The Catholic Church recognizes the marriage. But the best idea is to ask your priest ahead of time.

My SIL's wedding as I described above was done by a minister that was related to her family. Then the blessing was done in the Catholic church. She is not Catholic, her husband is.

 

[smoof]

So far, all I know is we need to meet with the priest ahead of time. I guess that will satisfy him as far as pre-Cana, then set a date to do the "blessing," which you guys have pretty much confirmed it is like a VR. As others have said, different parishes have different rules on pre-Cana. I know some people who have just had to meet with the priest a few times, and others who have had to do the retreat, etc...

I have so much on my plate right now, when my mom started getting excited, and turning this into another wedding, I freaked. I can't plan a wedding right now.

 

[smoof]

I'm subscribing to this thread and I really hope you get some more information. Obviously the Catholic church stays away from Disney World and we have been considering having Rev. Jack to do our ceremony (one of the only options we have going for us at the moment) and come home for a Catholic Blessing. We don't have any specifics about the process and I'd love to learn more about it. After DF and I have moved around a good bit in the past two years we don't really have a church to call "home." May I ask what kind of ceremony you had? You may also PM if you are more comfortable. I don't bite.

Thanks!

Jenny

Our original ceremony was with Rev. Jimmy Johnson. He is great to work with, but I think Rev. Jack is too. He asked what we wanted, we put in our own touches. He even asked what we wanted him to wear, a robe, suit, etc... A few of my family members weren't happy about the whole non-Catholic wedding in the first place, so we went for the robe. It was a quick ceremony, no different than any non-mass wedding I have been to.

I really can't think too much about the blessing yet, but I will keep everyone informed. We will see my parents this weekend, and I am sure Mom will bring it up. For the blessing, we will probably invite a few friends who couldn't be at the wedding. I have a friend whose daughter was going to be a flowergirl and they couldn't make it because of the health of her other daugher, so the girls may be flowergirls. That is about it though.