3.2  Responsibilities of the Archdiocese

Goal:   To assist those who witness marriages in the Church to utilize The Rite of Marriage with all its options, so that a more meaningful celebration of marriage might occur.

Guideline: Provide training for parish ministers on The Rite of Marriage so that they are familiar with the various liturgical options therein (see Glossary: “Rite of Marriage, The”), including principles of appropriate music.

Discussion: The Archdiocese will offer periodic workshops to priests, deacons, and parish liturgists on The Rite of Marriage. These workshops will be aimed at familiarizing ministers with the Rite itself and presenting various options within the Rite that will assist those who celebrate marriages in the Church to make the celebration more prayerful, joyful, and appropriate for the occasion. This will also include general principles of liturgical music and the explanation of various ethnic customs.

The Archdiocese will utilize other methods of communication (publications, pamphlets, the Archdiocesan website, etc.) to educate those who preside at wedding liturgies, those who plan the liturgies, and the couples themselves about the liturgical meaning of the celebration, including the place of music within The Rite of Marriage. '

The Archdiocese will also provide a list of resources that people involved in ministry to the vocation of marriage can go to for more information about the liturgy of marriage. Some of these are included in Appendix G. 

Goal:   To encourage engaged couples who will marry in the Church to utilize The Rite of Marriage and to consider appropriate options, so that a more meaningful celebration of marriage might occur.

 Guideline: Provide workshops for engaged couples on The Rite of Marriage so that they are familiar with the various liturgical options in The Rite of Marriage, including the selection of scripture readings and principles of appropriate music. 

Discussion: The Archdiocese will offer periodic workshops for engaged couples to gain an understanding of The Rite of Marriage. Experts on Catholic liturgy will familiarize the couples with the various options. Stressing the role of the marrying couple as ministers of the Sacrament of Matrimony, the workshops will provide instructions on selecting scripture readings, music, and the order of the liturgy.

Planning a meaningful wedding liturgy is an important part of the couple’s marriage preparation. Information about these workshops will be publicized and made available to parishes.