Order of Celebration of Marriage during Mass
Version C

BRIDAL PROCESSION (Please stand)

INTRODUCTORY RITE

Priest:In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
All:Amen.
Priest:The Lord be with you.
All:And with your spirit.

UNITY CANDLE CEREMONY part 1(optional)

Today N. and N. come here from two different families. Out of these two families, a new family will be created in the Lord. At this time, I invite the parents of N. and N. to come forward and light the individual candles which represent the two separate families.

Dear parents of N. and N., on this special wedding day,
we thank you for your sacrifices in bringing up your children according to our Christian faith.

May Our Lord Jesus Christ, bless you and give you true joy as you see your children become new parents and give you grandchildren. May the Lord give you health in spirit and body and lead you to the great reward waiting for you in Heaven. Amen.

GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST(said)

Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to people of good will.
We praise you,we bless you,we adore you,we glorify you,
we give you thanks for your great glory,
Lord God, heavenly King,O God, almighty Father.
Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son,
Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
you take away the sins of the world,have mercy on us;
you take away the sins of the world,receive our prayer;

you are seated at the right hand of the Father,have mercy on us.
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.

OPENING PRAYER

Let us pray.
A

Grant, we pray, almighty God, that these your servants, N and N,
now to be joined by the Sacrament of Matrimony,
may grow in the faith they profess and enrich your Church with faithful offspring.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
All:Amen

OR:
B

O God, who since the beginning of the world have blessed the increase of offspring,
show favour to our supplications
and pour forth the help of your blessing on these your servants (N. and N.),
so that in the union of Marriage they may be bound together in mutual affection,
in likeness of mind, and in shared holiness.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
All:Amen

(Please be seated)

LITURGY OF THE WORD(There may be three readings, the first of them from the Old Testament)
First Reading

Reader: A reading from ......

(Please select a reading from the approved choices and insert the text here)

Responsorial Psalm:

(Please stand)

Gospel Acclamation

(Note: During Lent, the “Alleluia” introduction is replaced with: “Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory”)

Gospel

Priest: The Lord be with you

All: And with your spirit.

Priest: A reading from the Holy Gospel according to ......

All: Glory to you, O Lord.

Priest: The Gospel of the Lord.
All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

(Please be seated)

HOMILY

SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE

My dear friends, N and N, you have come together in this church so that the Lord may seal and strengthen your love in the presence of the Church's minister and this community. Christ abundantly blesses this love. He has already consecrated you in baptism and now he enriches and strengthens you by a special sacrament so that you may assume the duties of marriage in mutual and lasting fidelity. And so, in the presence of the Church, I ask you to state your intentions.

Priest:N andN, have you come here freely and without reservation to give yourself to each other in marriage? (Each answers the questions separately.)

Bridegroom - I have

Bride -I have

Priest: Will you love and honour each other as husband and wife for the rest of your lives?

Bridegroom - I will

Bride -I will

Priest: Will you accept children lovingly from God and bring them up according to the Law of Christ and His Church?

Bridegroom - I will

Bride -I will

CONSENT
Priest:Since it is your intention to enter into marriage,
join your right hands, and declare your consent before God and his church.
A

The bridegroom says:
I, N, take you, N, to be my wife.
I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad,
in sickness and in health. I will love you and honour you all the days of my life.
The bride says:
I, N, take you, N, to be my husband.
I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad,
in sickness and in health. I will love you and honour you
all the days of my life.
Priest:You have declared your consent before the Church.
May the Lord in his goodness strengthen your consent
and fill you both with his blessings.
What God has joined, men must not divide.
All: Amen

OR:

B

The bridegroom says:
I, N, take you, N, for my lawful wife,
to have and to hold, from this day forward,
for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer,
in sickness and in health, until death do us part.

The bride says:
I, N, take you, N, for my lawful husband,
to have and to hold, from this day forward,
for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer,
in sickness and in health, until death do us part.

BLESSING AND EXCHANGE OF RINGS
Priest:Lord bless and consecrate N and N in their love for each other.

May these rings be a symbol of true faith in each other,

and always remained them of their love.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.
All:Amen.

The bridegroom places his wife's ring on her ring finger and says:
N, take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
The bride places her husband's ring on his ring finger and says:
N, take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

UNITY CANDLE CEREMONY part 2 (optional)

Priest:My dear friends, N and N, as husband and wife, light your candle from the two smaller candles.

The two individual flames now become one flame demonstrating to you in a very beautiful way the symbol of two who become one.

O God, you have joined N and N together in marriage and surrounded them with loving family and friends. Fill their hearts with gratitude and enduring confidence. And may the joy of this day sustain them, comfort them,and bring them hope all the days of their married life. We ask this through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
All:Amen.

PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL (Please stand)

Priest: My dear friends, we have witnessed N and N exchange their vows in the presence of the Lord. Let us now pray that God will bless them throughout their married life and keep them united in undivided love.

That their love may be patient and gentle, ready to trust, and to endure whatever comes.
Let us pray to the Lord.

All:Lord, hear our prayer.

That they may minister the grace of marriage to each other in their joys and sorrows,
in their hopes and disappointments. Let us pray to the Lord.

All:Lord, hear our prayer.

That his peace may dwell in their home and give hope of peace to the world.
Let us pray to the Lord.

All:Lord, hear our prayer.

That He will bless their parents, friends and all who are here. Let us pray to the Lord.

All:Lord, hear our prayer.

That all married people may be helped to renew and deepen their love. Let us pray to the Lord.

All:Lord, hear our prayer.

Priest: Almighty God, you have come into the lives of N and N through the gift of married love,
remain with them always, and show them your great love for those who call you Father.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
All:Amen.

LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST(Please be seated)

OFFERTORY PROCESSION

PREPARATION OF THE GIFTS

(Please stand)

Priest:Pray my brothers and sisters,
that my sacrifice and yours 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 holy Church.

PRAYER OVER THE GIFTS

Show favour to our supplications, O Lord,
and receive with a kindly countenance
the oblation we offer for these your servants,
joined now in a holy covenant,
that through these mysteries
they may be strengthened in lovefor one another and for you.
Through Christ our Lord.

All:Amen

PREFACE: Matrimony as a sign of divine love.

Priest: The Lord be with you.
All:And with your spirit.
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 and just.
It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,
always and everywhere to give you thanks,
Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God.
For you willed that the human race,
created by the gift of your goodness,
should be raised to such high dignity
that in the union of husband and wife you might bestow a true image of your love.
For those you created out of charity you call to the law of charity without ceasing
and grant them a share in your eternal charity.
And so, the Sacrament of holy Matrimony, as the abiding sign of your own love,
consecrates the love of man and woman,
through Christ our Lord.
Through him, with the Angels and all the Saints,
we sing the hymn of your praise, as without end we acclaim:
All: Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of hosts.
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.

EUCHARISTIC PRAYER (Please kneel)

Priest: The mystery of faith:

All: We proclaim your Death, O Lord,

and profess your Resurrection

until you come again.

All:Amen

COMMUNION RITE(Please stand)

Priest: At the Saviour’s command and formed by divine teaching, we dare to say:

All:Our Father, who art in heaven,

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.

NUPTIAL BLESSING

Let us humbly invoke by our prayers, dear brothers and sisters,
God's blessings upon this bride and groom,
that in his kindness he may favour with his help
those on whom he has bestowed the Sacrament of Matrimony.
All pray in silence. Then the Priest, with hands extended over the bride and bridegroom continues:
Holy Father, maker of the whole world,
who created man and woman in your own image
and willed that their union be crowned with your blessing,
we humbly beseech you for these your servants,
who are joined today in the Sacrament of Matrimony.
May your abundant blessing, Lord,
come down upon this bride, N,
and upon N, her companion for life,
and may the power of your Holy Spirit
set their hearts aflame from on high,
so that, living out together the gift of Matrimony,
they may (adorn their family with children and) enrich the Church.

In happiness may they praise you, O Lord,
in sorrow may they seek you out;
may they have the joy of your presence to assist them in their toil,
and know that you are near to comfort them in their need;
let them pray to you in the holy assembly and bear witness to you in the world,
and after a happy old age, together with the circle of friends that surrounds them,
may they come to the Kingdom of Heaven.
Through Christ our Lord.
All:Amen

THE SIGN OF THE PEACE

Priest: The peace of the Lord be with you always.

All: And with your spirit.

Priest: Let us offer each other the sign of peace.

(Please exchange greetings with those around you.)

All:Lamb of God, you take away, the sins of the world; have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, you take away, the sins of the world; have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, you take away, the sins of the world; grant us peace.

(Please kneel)

Priest: Behold the Lamb of God,

behold him who takes away the sins of the world.

Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.

All:Lord, I am not worthy

that you should enter under my roof,

but only say the word

and my soul shall be healed.

COMMUNION

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION(Please stand)

Let us pray.
Grant, we pray, almighty God,
that the power of the Sacrament we have received
may find growth in these your servants
and that the effects of the sacrifice we have offeredmay be felt by us all.
Through Christ our Lord.

All:Amen

SOLEMN BLESSING

Priest:The Lord be with you

All:And with your spirit.

Priest: Bow down for the blessing.

May the Lord Jesus,
who graced the marriage at Cana by his presence,
bless you and your loved ones.
All: Amen.
May he, who loved the Church to the end
unceasingly pour his love into your hearts.
All: Amen.
May the Lord grant
that, bearing witness to faith in his Resurrection,
you may await with joy the blessed hope to come.
All: Amen.
And may almighty God bless all of you, who are gathered here,
the Father, and the Son,  and the Holy Spirit.
All: Amen.

DISMISSAL
Priest: Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.

All: Thanks be to God.

SIGNING OF THE REGISTER(Please be seated)

RECESSIONAL (Please stand)

Welcome the Bride and Groom

© Copyright:
Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal, © 2010,
International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.
Scripture readings are taken from the Jerusalem Bible © 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd
and Doubleday and Company Inc. Used by permission.
Psalm text taken from Psalms: The New Translation © 1963 published by HarperCollinsReligious
by permission of A.P. Watt Ltd on behalf of The Grail, England.

Texts for Celebration of Marriage during Mass - Version C1