Sacrament
of
Matrimony
Until death do us part....
Names:
Time:
Church:
Reception:
1
PROCESSIONAL
Gentlemen enter the Church with ladies at their left as follows:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
BEST MAN
PARENTS OF THE GROOM
GROOM
PRINCIPAL SPONSORS
BRIDESMAIDS AND
GROOMSMEN
6. RING BEARERS
7. FLOWER GIRLS
8. MAID OF HONOR
9. PARENTS OF THE BRIDE
10. BRIDE
GREETINGS
Reader
: When we reach life’s greatest crossroads, the choice of
the decision we make must be done with much faith and
love. My dear friends, -------&------ have approached
these crossroads already with a lot of faith and a deeply
nurtured friendship and love.
Let us then offer our thanks to God for having led
them together in this love. Let us pray that He may bless
and consecrate their commitment to each other and that ------&----- may freely and lovingly take upon them the
task the Lord has entrusted to them, to live for each other
and their future children, their family, their relatives and
friends on their road through life to God. Let this day be
memorable for all of us, for the Lord has blessed us to
witness this great Sacramental Beginning.
Let us all Rise to welcome the Wedding Procession.
(Reminder to switch off mobiles – One photographer)
Choir
2
: Entrance Hymn
EUCHARISTIC CELEBRATION
INTRODUCTORY RITES
Priest
: In the name of the Father † and of the Son † and of
the Holy Spirit †.
All
: Amen.
Priest
: May the grace and the peace of the Lord Jesus
Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the
Holy Spirit be with you always.
All
: And also with you.
Priest
: Coming together as God’s family with confidence let
us ask the Father forgiveness for He is full of
gentleness and compassion.
All
: I confess to Almighty God, and to you my brothers and
sisters, that I have sinned through my own fault, in my
thoughts, and in my words, in what I have done and in
what I have failed to do. And I ask the Blessed Mary,
ever Virgin, all the angels and saints and you my
brothers and sisters to pray for me to the Lord our God.
Priest
: May Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our
sins and bring us to everlasting life †.
All
: Amen.
Priest
: Lord have mercy
All
: Lord have mercy
Priest
: Christ have mercy
All
: Christ have mercy
Priest
: Lord have mercy
All
: Lord have mercy
Priest
All
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: Glory to God in the highest,
: And peace to his people on earth. Lord God, heavenly
King, almighty God and Father, we worship you, we
give you thanks, we praise you for your glory. Lord
Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb
of God, you take away the sin of the world: have mercy
on us; you are seated at the right hand of the Father:
receive our prayer. For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord, You alone are the Most
High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of
God the Father. Amen.
Priest
: Let us pray. Almighty God, hear our prayers on
behalf of -----&----- who have come here today to be
united in the Sacrament of Marriage. Make their
love fruitful so that they may be living witnesses to
your divine love in the world. We ask this through
our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and
reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God
forever and ever.
All
: Amen.
Everyone sits down for the First Reading.
LITURGY OF THE WORD
FIRST READING
Reader : A reading from the Song of Songs:
Hark! My lover – here he comes springing across the
mountains, leaping across the hills. My lover is like a
gazelle or a young stag. Here he stands behind our wall,
gazing through the window, peering through the lattices.
My lover speaks; he says to me “Arise my beloved, my
beautiful one and come! O my love in the clefts of the
rocks, in the secret recesses of the cliff. Let me see you,
let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet and you
are lovely.” My lover belongs to me and I to Him. (He
said to me.) Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal
upon your arm; for love is strong as death, jealousy is
cruel as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, a most
vehement flame. Deep waters cannot quench love nor
flood sweep it away. This is the Word of the Lord.
All
: Thanks be to God.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Reader : Let our response be:
“I WILL BLESS THE LORD AT ALL TIMES”
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Reader
Reader
Reader
Reader
: I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall ever be
in my mouth. My soul will glorify in the Lord that the
poor may hear and be glad. (Response)
: Glorify the Lord with me. Let us exalt His name
together. I sought the Lord and He answered me and
delivered me from all my fears. (Response)
: Look to God that you may be radiant with joy, and your
faces may not blush with shame. When the afflicted
man called out, the Lord heard, and from all his distress,
He saved him. (Response)
: The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear
Him and delivers them. Taste and see how good the
Lord is, happy the man who takes refuge in Him.
(Response)
SECOND READING
Reader : A reading from the first letter of St. Paul to the
Corinthians.
Set your hearts on the greater gifts. I will show you the
way which surpasses all the others. If I speak with
human tongues and angelic as well, but do not have
love, my speech is no more than a noisy gong or a
clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and with
full knowledge, comprehend all mysteries, if I have
faith great enough to move mountains but have no love,
I am nothing. If I give everything I have to feed the
poor and hand over my body to be burned, but have not
loved, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. Love
is not jealous, it does not put on sins, and it is not
snobbish. Love is never rude, it is not self-seeking, it is
not prone to anger, and neither does it brood over
injuries. Love does not rejoice in what is wrong, but
rejoices with the truth. There is no limit to love’s
forbearance, to its trust, its hope, its power to endure.
Love never fails. This is the Word of the Lord.
All
: Thanks be to God.
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Reader
: Kindly rise for the Gospel Acclamation.
THE GOSPEL
Everyone stands up for the Gospel Acclamation
Choir
: Alleluia. “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch
cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine,
neither can you, unless you abide in me.” Alleluia.
Priest
All
Priest
All
Priest
All
: The Lord be with you.
: And also with you.
: A reading from the Holy Gospel according to St.
John †††.
: Glory to You, O, Lord Jesus Christ.
: Jesus said to His disciples, “As the Father has loved
me, so I have loved you. Live on with my love. You
will live in my love if you keep my commandments,
even as I have kept my Father’s commandments and
live in His love. All this I tell you so that my joy
maybe yours and your joy may be complete. This is
my commandment: love one another as I have loved
you.”
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
: Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ!
HOMILY
Everyone sits down while priest gives the Homily
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RITES OF MARRIAGE
ALLOCUTION
After the Homily, the witnesses, the Best Man, the Maid of Honour,
the Bride and the Groom will stand. All others may remain seated.
The priest addresses the couple.
Priest
: Dearly beloved -------&-------, you are here today to
seal your love with an eternal bond before the
Church. I assure you of the prayers of our
community that God may pour His abundant
blessings on your love and help you to carry out the
duties of married state.
And you, dear brothers and sisters, may I ask you to
help them with your prayers and accept them as a
new couple in our Christian Community.
SCRUTINY
Priest
: -------&-------, may I now ask you to answer
truthfully the following questions.
(To the Bride) --------, did you come here today in
your own free will to bind yourself forever in love
and service of your husband?
Bride
: Yes, Father.
Priest
: (To the Groom) --------, did you come here today in
your own free will to bind yourself forever in love
and service of your wife?
Groom : Yes, Father.
Priest
: Are you, ------&------ ready to raise as good
Christians the children whom God will give you?
Couple : Yes, Father.
EXCHANGE OF CONSENT
Priest
: -------&--------- since you wish to contract Holy
Matrimony, please join your right hands and express
your intention before God and His Church.
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Priest
Bride
Priest
Bride
Priest
Groom
Priest
Groom
Priest
Couple
: (To the Bride) -------, do you take ------- here present
to be your lawful husband according to the rite of
our Holy Mother, the Church?
: Yes, I do.
: Do you give yourself to him as his wife?
: Yes, I do.
: (To the Groom) -------, do you take ------- here present
to be your lawful wife according to the rite of our
Holy Mother, the Church?
: Yes, I do.
: Do you give yourself to her as her husband?
: Yes, I do
: Now kindly repeat after me.
: Grant us, O Lord / to be one heart and one soul /
from this day forward / for better or for worse / for
richer or for poorer / in sickness and in health / until
death do us part.
CONFIRMATION OF THE MARRIAGE BOND
Priest
: And I, by the authority of the Church, calling on all
those present here as witnesses, confirm and bless
the bond of marriage which you have contracted, in
the Name of the Father † and of the Son † and of the
Holy Spirit †.
All
: Amen.
BLESSING OF THE RINGS
The Ring bearer hands the rings over to the Best Man, who along
with the Maid of Honour stand at their respective places, beside the
to-be-weds.
Priest
: -------&------- we shall now bless your rings. Our help
is in the name of the Lord.
All
: He made heaven and earth.
Priest
: Let us pray. Bless, † O Lord, these rings so that your
servants, -------&------- who will wear them may live
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in mutual love and unbroken loyalty, through Christ
Our Lord.
All
: Amen.
Ring Bearer returns to his/her seat. The Best Man will take hold of
the rings and take his place on the Groom’s side.
GIVING OF THE WEDDING RINGS
Priest takes the rings from the Best Man and gives it to the Bride
and Bridegroom.
Priest
: Now give this ring to one another and say after me:
Groom : -------, /wear this ring /as a sign/ of my unconditional
love and fidelity. In the name of the Father, /and of
the Son /and of the Holy Spirit.
Bride
: -------, / wear this ring /as a sign/ of my unconditional
love and fidelity. In the name of the Father, /and of
the Son /and of the Holy Spirit.
LIGHTING OF THE UNITY CANDLE
The Candle Sponsors come forward and hand over the unity candle
to the newly wedded couple. They then move to the altar and light
the Unity Candle. After lighting the candle they return to their
places and remain standing.
Priest
: -------&------- will now light the Unity Candle on the
altar as a sign of their oneness in marriage. This
candle also symbolizes that they are uniting their
lives with Jesus Christ who is the centre and the
source of all Love.
PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL
All rise to pray for the newly wedded and for the whole world.
Priest
: Dearly beloved, let us now pray for the Church and
for our newly wedded couple whose marriage reflect
their union with Christ, Let our response be: “Lord
Graciously Hear us”.
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Reader
All
Reader
Reader
Reader
Priest
All
: For the Holy Church spread over the world, for its
leaders and for the rulers of our nation. Let us pray to
the Lord!
: Lord Graciously Hear us.
: For the poor and the sick and all those in trial and
afflictions. Let us pray to the Lord!
: For -------&------- that they may keep their hearts united
forever and for all married couples. Let us pray to the
Lord!
: That He may stir up the grace of the sacrament in all the
married couples present here. Let us pray to the Lord!
: Almighty, Eternal God, look down with favour upon
your servants. Grant them the grace to remain
faithful to you and to one another. At the end of a
long and well-spent life, reward them with eternal
happiness, together with all those who love them,
through Christ our Lord.
: Amen.
OFFERTORY
Choir
: Offertory Hymn
Everyone sits down and the persons who will offer the offering gifts
and the host and wine will now proceed to bring these gifts to the
altar.
LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST
All rise in prayer.
Priest
: Pray my brothers and sisters that our sacrifice may
be acceptable to God, the Almighty Father.
All
: May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands, for the
praise and glory of His name, for our good and the good
of all His Church.
Priest
: Lord, hear our prayers and accept the gifts we offer
for this newly married couple -------&-------. By Your
love and providence you have brought them
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All
together; now bless them all the days of their
married life. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
: Amen.
PREFACE
Priest
: The Lord be with you.
All
: And also with you.
Priest
: Lift up your hearts.
All
: We lift them up to the Lord.
Priest
: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
All
: It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
Priest
: Father, all powerful and ever living God, we do will
always and everywhere to give you thanks. By this
Sacrament, Your grace unifies man and woman in
an unbreakable bond of love and peace. You have
designed the chaste love of husband and wife for the
increase, both of the human family and of your
family born in baptism. You are the loving Father of
the world of nature. You are the loving Father of
the new creation of grace. In Christian marriage you
bring together the two orders of creation: nature’s
gift of children enriches the world and your grace
also enriches the Church. Through Christ, the choir
of angels and all the Saints praise and worship your
glory. May our voices blend with theirs as we join in
their unending hymn of praise.
All
: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the
highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the
Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
Kneel down. The bride and the groom shall remain kneeling until
the Lord’s Prayer.
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EUCHARISTIC PRAYER
Priest
: Lord, you are holy indeed, the fountain of all
holiness. Let your spirit come upon these gifts to
make them holy so that they may become for us the
Body and Blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ †. Before
He was given up to death, a death He freely
accepted, He took the bread and gave you thanks.
He broke the bread, gave it to His disciples and said:
“Take this all of you and eat it. This is my body
which will be given up for you.” When supper was
ended, He took the cup. Again, He gave you thanks
and praise, gave the cup to His disciples and said:
“Take this all of you, and drink from it. This is the
cup of my blood, the blood of the new and
everlasting covenant. It will be shed for you and for
all, so that sins may be forgiven. Do this in memory
of me.”
Priest
All
: Let us proclaim the Mystery of Faith.
: Christ has died, Christ has risen, and Christ will come
again.
Priest
: In memory of His death and resurrection, we offer
You, Father, this life-giving bread, this saving cup.
We thank you for counting us worthy to stand in
your presence and serve you. May all of us who
share in the Body and Blood of Christ, be brought
together in unity by the Holy Spirit. Lord, remember
your Church throughout the world, make us grow in
love together with Benedict, our Pope, Czeslaw our
bishop and all our clergy. Remember our brothers
and sisters who have gone to their rest in the hope of
rising again. Bring them and all the departed into
the light of your presence. Have mercy on us all.
Make us worthy to share eternal life with Mary, the
Virgin Mother of God, with the Apostles and with all
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the Saints who have done your will throughout the
ages. May we praise you in union with them and give
you glory, through Your Son, Jesus Christ.
Priest
All
: Through Him, with Him, in Him, in the unity of the
Holy Spirit, all glory and honour is yours Almighty
Father, forever and ever.
: Amen.
COMMUNION RITES
All rise
Priest
: Let us pray with confidence to the Father in the
words our Saviour gave us:
Our Father who art in Heaven….
All
: Hallowed be Thy name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will
be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our
daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive
those who trespass against us, and lead us not into
temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the
Kingdom and the power and the glory now and forever.
Amen.
NUPTIAL BLESSING
The parents / witnesses / closest relatives may come forward and
place their hands on the shoulders of the newlywed couple.
Priest
: Dear friends, let us ask God for His continued
blessing upon ----&----. Holy Father, creator of the
universe, maker of man and woman in your likeness,
source of blessing for married life, we humbly pray
to you for this man and woman, who today are
united in the Sacrament of Marriage. May your
fullest blessings come upon them so that they may
together rejoice in your gifts of marital love and
enrich Your Church with their children. Lord may
they both praise you when they are happy and turn
to you in their sorrows. May they be glad that you
help in their work and know that you are with them
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All
in their needs! May they pray to you in the
community of the Church, and be your witness in
the world. May they reach old age in the company of
their friends and come at last in the kingdom of
heaven. We ask this through Christ Our Lord.
: Amen.
SIGN OF PEACE
Priest
: Lord, Jesus Christ You said to Your Apostles: “I
leave you peace, my peace I give you.” Look not on
our sins but on the faith of your Church and grant
us the peace and unity of your Kingdom, where you
live forever and ever.
All
: Amen.
Priest
: The peace of the Lord be with you always.
All
: And also with you.
Priest
: Let us offer each other the sign of peace.
Everyone offers the sign of peace to one another. The Bridesmaids
and the Groomsmen may come forward and give the sign of peace
to the newly wedded couple.
Priest
All
: Lamb of God…
: You take away the sin of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world, have
mercy on us. Lamb of God, You take away the sin of
the world, grant us peace.
BREAKING OF THE BREAD
Priest
: This is the Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away
the sin of the world. Happy are those who are called
to His supper.
All
: Lord I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the
word and I shall be healed.
Priest
: May the Body and Blood of Christ lead us to
everlasting life.
All
: Amen.
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HOLY COMMUNION
Choir
: Communion Hymn
While the Choir sings the communion hymn, the priest gives
communion to the newlyweds and then to the community.
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Priest
: Let us pray. Lord, in your love you have given us
this Eucharist to unite us with one another and with
you. As you have made -------&------ one in this
Sacrament of Marriage, so now make them one in
love for each other. We ask this through Christ our
Lord.
All
: Amen.
SOLEMN BLESSING
Priest
: ------&-----, now that you have received the holy
sacrament of Matrimony, I admonish you to remain
faithful to one another.
(To the Bride): -------, love your husband and be a
good wife; persevere in faith and love and holiness.
(To the Groom): -------, love your wife as Christ loves
His Church and live with her in the holy fear of the
Lord.
Priest
: The Lord be with you.
All
: And also with you.
Priest
: May the Lord unite your hearts in an enduring bond
of pure love.
All
: Amen.
Priest
: May you be blessed in your children, and may the
love that you lavish on them be returned a
hundredfold.
All
: Amen.
Priest
: May the peace of Christ dwell always in your hearts
and in your home; may you have true friends to
stand by you both in joy and sorrow.
All
: Amen.
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Priest
All
Priest
All
Priest
Priest
: May the Lord grant you fullness of years, so that you
may reap the harvest of a good life and after you
have served Him with loyalty in His kingdom on
earth, may he take you up into His eternal abode in
Heaven.
: Amen.
: And may Almighty God bless you, the Father † the
Son † and the Holy Spirit †.
: Amen.
: My dear friends, may I now proudly present you,
Mr. & Mrs. _____________
: (To the Groom)______ , You may kiss the bride.
All may clap their hands in applause.
Choir
: Recessional Hymn
ORDER OF PICTURE TAKING
1. COUPLE WITH PRIEST
2. THE COUPLE
3. COUPLE WITH BRIDE’S
PARENTS
4. COUPLE WITH GROOM’S
PARENTS
5. COUPLE WITH BOTH
PARENTS
6. COUPLE WITH BOTH
PARENTS AND SIBLINGS
7. COUPLE WITH PRINCIPAL
SPONSORS
8. COUPLE WITH SECONDARY
SPONSORS
9. COUPLE WITH MAID OF
HONOR & BEST MAN
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10. COUPLE WITH MAID OF
HONOR, BEST MAN,
BRIDESMAIDS,
GROOMSMEN, FLOWER
GIRLS, & BEARERS
11. COUPLE WITH BRIDES
MAIDS AND GROOMSMEN
12. COUPLE WITH FLOWER
GIRLS AND BEARERS
13. COUPLE WITH MASS
READERS AND OFFERERS
14. COUPLE WITH BRIDE’S
RELATIVES
15. COUPLE WITH GROOM’S
RELATIVES
16. COUPLE WITH THEIR
FRIENDS
Other suggestions:
1. The couple in consultation with the priest may bring about
changes or adaptations to the ceremony. It should be
prepared well before the rehearsal day. It is advised to
provide text of the ceremony to the guests at the wedding
including the ceremony and hymns. Copies should be made
available at the rehearsal itself.
2. The couple may choose suitable scriptural texts after
consulting with the priest.
3. The texts in blue background are with options for the choir to
choose to sing. The songs are to chosen in consultation with
the priest. The couple needs to get in touch with the
choirmasters for the choice of songs.
4. Provide commentators / readers, and try to involve family
members / close friends to partake in the ceremony: at places
like the entrance procession, offertory, nuptial blessing, peace
giving, etc.
5. Materials like the Unity Candle, Wedding Rings, Ceremony
Missalette, etc. should be given to responsible persons.
6. All those involved in the ceremony need to be there at the
rehearsal. Fix the date with the priest well in advance.
7. Decoration of the church: contact the nuns and provide them
with the information about the choice of flowers and the
expenses necessary. You are welcome to do it yourself too.
Appoint someone responsible to deal with the payment to the
choir and decoration team. The contribution to the church too
is to be taken into notice.
8. The photographer and videographer need to contact the priest
before the ceremony.
9. Be on time.
10. For further information contact your respective priests-incharge.
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