Priest to perfom blessing at a civil wedding (divorced person marrying)

johnc2212 · 05-01-2010 09:07PM #1

does anyone know of a priest who will perform a blessing at a civil wedding venue between a divorced person and non-divorced (both catholics) - Cork area. thanks in advance

sold · 05-01-2010 09:10PM

johnc2212 wrote: »

does anyone know of a priest who will perform a blessing at a civil wedding venue between a divorced person and non-divorced (both catholics) - Cork area. thanks in advance

No because they can't bless the union.(if one of the partners was divorced) Anyway why would you want it bless, its not a priest who marries a couple, its the couple that married themselves.

johnc2212 · 05-01-2010 09:15PM

thanks for your response but it doesn't answer the question. we are not looking for a priest to perform a marriage cermony, just a blessing pure and simple. I understand canon law etc. anyhow. if there's someone out there who has been through this before as opposed to people with opinions etc I would be grateful.

tatli_lokma · 06-01-2010 10:05AM

as other poster said, it will be difficult to find, as 'blessings' of a civil marriage (divorcee or not) are not recognised by the catholic church, so your best bet would be to ask family and friends if they have any relatives or know anyone in the clergy or who is involved with the church. That way they may be prepared to make an exception if it is for someone they know. I think this is your best bet, as without the 'personal touch' a lot of priests would refuse.

Also, not sure if you realise this, but you are not allowed have any religious references in a civil ceremony, so if you were to get a blessing you would have to hold this completely seperately to the civil ceremony - they can't be done at the same service. The couple I know who had this had to have religious ceremony done and then clear the room of all the religious paraphanalia the priest used and about 30 mins later they had the civil ceremony. Some registrars are particularly strict on this and won't even allow them seperately in the same room - they have to be done in different rooms!

Like I say, best bet I think would be to get asking around all your friends and friends of friends - I think that if you can find anyone who is involved in the church in some way to ask, that would be best, like some little old dear who does the church flowers, or who is in the legion of mary or summat :P

edit to add - I happen to know how difficult it is to find a priest to do a blessing as I looked for this myself.

How Strange · 06-01-2010 10:42AM

Afaik, you can't have any inclusion of anything religious in your civil ceremony. We were told this quite clearly and explicitly when we met the registrar. If we have songs, poems or readings as part of the ceremony there can't be any reference to religion of any sort so you can't have Ave Maria sung or a prayer read out.

You have to speak to the registrar on the day just before the ceremony and he/she will ask to see what you're including in the ceremony and if they think it has religious associations they won't allow it.

johnc2212 · 06-01-2010 11:19AM

thanks for all your help.

St James · 06-01-2010 05:50PM

These priests do exist. Do you and your intended attend a church on a regular basis? If so, approach your local priest who if not able to help himself, might be able to reccommend someone.

I would think that no priest would like to be named publicly on a BB as providing this service as strictly speaking they are not supposed to do so, but many do.

johnc2212 · 06-01-2010 05:58PM

take your point St. James. thanks

Priest to perfom blessing at a civil wedding (divorced person marrying)

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