Revised Rite of Marriage
In ancient Rome, the month of June began by honoring the deity Juno, known as the goddess of marriage and childbirth. This made June an auspicious month in which to get married. Perhaps that is why most statistics say June remains the most popular month to tie the knot. So I thought this would be a good opportunity to talk about the most significant changes coming in the revised Catholic Rite of Marriage, now called the Order for Celebrating Matrimony, which will take effect later this year.
Language
As with the revised Roman Missal, the prayers have been changed to reflect the original Latin. This is the result of a different set of translation principles mandated by the 2001 document, Liturgiam Authenticam.
Opening Rites
The Penitential Act is explicitly omitted and the Gloria will now be said or sung to mark the festivity of the occasion.
After the couple exchanges their vows, the assembly may express their joy and thanksgiving with an acclamation that is spoken or sung. This affirms our belief that all sacraments are communal:
Liturgical services are not private functions, but are celebrations of the Church, which is the "sacrament of unity," … Therefore liturgical services pertain to the whole body of the Church; … It is to be stressed that whenever rites, according to their specific nature, make provision for communal celebration involving the presence and active participation of the faithful, this way of celebrating them is to be preferred, so far as possible, to a celebration that is individual and quasi-private. The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy #26-27
Cultural Adaptations
Ceremonies popular in many cultures around the world are now included in the new rite. These include the blessing and giving of the arras (coins) and the blessing and placing of a lazo (a lasso or cord). The exchange of coins is a sign that everything in marriage is to be shared. The placing of the lazo is a sign that the couple is now sacramentally bound.
It’s worth noting that a popular secular cultural adaptation, destination and/or outdoor weddings, were not addressed. The Catholic Rite of Marriage presumes that the couple will be married in the parish church of the bride or the groom. The church building is the space where we encounter God most profoundly in God’s Word, in the sacraments and in each other. Since the church is the space where we celebrate the most sacred moments of our lives, it is the most appropriate place for a wedding.