Marriage in the Catholic Church
Where can we get married?
Any Catholic marrying in Scotland must marry “in a place of worship in regular use." This means:
a) normally in an R.C. Church building, preferably their local RC parish
b) exceptionally, but only with the permission of the bishop, in a church building of another denomination, but with an R.C. priest or deacon
officiating.
c) very exceptionally, and with permission of the Bishop given for special reasons, in a church belonging to another denomination and with the minister of that church officiating.
Who do you speak to?
No matter where you intend to marry, the first port of call for a Catholic must be his or her local priest.
The question of where you live is the issue here. Once you have lived in a particular place for a month or more you are regarded as a resident in the eyes of the Church and consequently you are considered to be a member of the local parish.
The parish priest therefore has responsibility for preparing and processing your application.
When should we make any bookings?
Your own parish priest should be contacted before you confirm any other wedding arrangements, including booking the reception venue.
A minimum period of six months notice is needed by the Church to allow for preparation of the required documents and for planning the ceremony with you.
In some cases (for example if you and your partner are from two different countries) even longer may be needed)
Even if ...
Even if you are marrying outside Scotland, a Catholic living in Scotland needs to contact his/her local priest in Scotland.
Even though you are marrying in a church, you still need to contact the civil Registrar.
To discuss your preferences and arrangements in greater detail please e-mail cathedralmarriages@gmail.com
Any Catholic marrying in Scotland must marry “in a place of worship in regular use." This means:
a) normally in an R.C. Church building, preferably their local RC parish
b) exceptionally, but only with the permission of the bishop, in a church building of another denomination, but with an R.C. priest or deacon
officiating.
c) very exceptionally, and with permission of the Bishop given for special reasons, in a church belonging to another denomination and with the minister of that church officiating.
Who do you speak to?
No matter where you intend to marry, the first port of call for a Catholic must be his or her local priest.
The question of where you live is the issue here. Once you have lived in a particular place for a month or more you are regarded as a resident in the eyes of the Church and consequently you are considered to be a member of the local parish.
The parish priest therefore has responsibility for preparing and processing your application.
When should we make any bookings?
Your own parish priest should be contacted before you confirm any other wedding arrangements, including booking the reception venue.
A minimum period of six months notice is needed by the Church to allow for preparation of the required documents and for planning the ceremony with you.
In some cases (for example if you and your partner are from two different countries) even longer may be needed)
Even if ...
Even if you are marrying outside Scotland, a Catholic living in Scotland needs to contact his/her local priest in Scotland.
Even though you are marrying in a church, you still need to contact the civil Registrar.
To discuss your preferences and arrangements in greater detail please e-mail cathedralmarriages@gmail.com
The Marriage Ceremony
When it comes time to arrange your marriage ceremony you might find some of these downloads helpful.
| Preparing for your Wedding.pdf |
| The Sacrament of Marriage Apart from Mass.pdf |
| Nuptial Mass Template.pdf |
| Sample Order of Service.pdf |
| Readings for Weddings.pdf |
