RITES FOR HOLY MATRIMONY

This is to only a general guide to the Rite of Marriage
outside of Mass. There are many options that the couple and presider
may choose for the different parts of the rite.


Introductory Rite

Celebrant:Father,You have made the bond of marriagea holy mystery,a symbol of Christ's love for his Church.Hear our prayers for N. and N.With faith in you and in each otherthey pledge their love today,May their lives always bear witnessto the reality of that love.

We ask thisthrough our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,one God, for ever and ever. Amen.


Liturgy of the Word

1st Reading - (one of the following may be used)
Genesis 1:26-28, 31Genesis 2:18-24Genesis 24:48-5, 58-67Tobit 7:9-10, 11-15Tobit 8:5-7Songs 2:8-10, 14,16; 8:6-7Sirach 26:1-14, 13-16Jeremiah 31:31-32, 33-34

Responsorial Psalm2nd Reading - (one of the following may be used)
Romans 8:31-35, 37-39Romans 12:1-2, 9-191 Corinthians 6:13-15, 17-201 Corinthians 12:31-13:8Ephesians 5:2,21-33Colossians 3:12-171 Peter 3:1-91 John 3:18-241 John 4:7-12Revelation 19:1, 5-9

Gospel AcclamationGospel - (one of the following may be used)
Matthew 5:1-12Matthew 5:13-16Matthew 7:21, 24-29Matthew 19:3-6Matthew 22:35-40Matthew 10:6-9John 2:1-11John 15:9-12John 15:12-16John 17:20-26

Homily




Rite of Marriage
Celebrant:
My dear friends, 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 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.

N. and N. have you come here freely and without reservation to give yourselves to each other in marriage?

Will you love and honor each other as man and wife for the rest of your lives?

Will you accept children lovingly from God, and bring them up according to the law of Christ and his Church?



Consent
Celebrant:
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 honor you all the days of
my life.

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 honor you all the days
of my life.

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.

R. Amen



Blessing and Exchange of the Rings
Celebrant:
May the Lord bless + these rings which you give to each other as the sign of your love and fidelity.

R. Amen.

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.

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.



General Intercessions
Celebrant:
My dear friends, let us turn to the Lord and praythat he will bless with his grace N.now married in Christ to N.and that he will unite in love the couplehe has joined in this holy bond.

Please respond: Lord hear our prayer.

For N. and N. that their love for each other may continue to grow in the peace of Christ, we pray to the Lord . . .

For the parents of N. and N. that they may be an example of love to their children, we pray to the Lord . . .

For all married couples here today, that witnessing N. and N. making their commitment of love,
they renew their love for one another, we pray to the Lord . . .

For all that are gathered here today to celebrate with N. and N., especially those who have traveled a great distance, that God will bless them and watch over them, we pray to the Lord . . .

For the deceased relatives and friends of N. and N., that God may shower them with eternal love, we pray to the Lord . . .



Nuptial Blessing
Celebrant:Father, by your power you have made everything out of nothing.In the beginning you created the universe and made mankind in your own likeness.You gave man the constant help of womanso that man and woman should no longer be two, but one flesh,and you teach us that what you have united may never be divided.

Father, you have made the union of man and wife so holy a mysterythat it symbolizes the marriage of Christ and his Church.

Father, by your plan man and woman are united,and married life has been establishedas the one blessing that was not forfeited by original sinor washed away in the flood.

Look with love upon this woman, your daughter,now joined to her husband in marriage.She asks your blessing. Give her the grace of love and peace.May she always follow the example of the holy womenwhose praises are sung in the scriptures.

May her husband put his trust in her and recognize that she is his equaland the heir with him to the life of grace.May he always honor her and love her as Christ loves his bride, the Church.

Father, keep them always true to your commandments.Keep them faithful in marriage and let them be living examples of Christian life.

Give them the strength which comes from the gospelso that they may be witnesses of Christ to others.(Bless them with children and help them to be good parents.May they live to see their children's children.)And, after a happy old age, grant them fullness of life with the saintsin the kingdom of heaven.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.R. Amen.



Lord's Prayer
Celebrant:
Now let us stand and pray together in the words our Lord has given use:

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 trespassesas we forgive those who trespass against us;and lead us not into temptationbut deliver us from evil.


Blessing
Celebrant:May almighty God, the Father, and the Son + and the Holy Spirit, bless you and remain with you forever.

All: Amen.