What is it called when a priest marries a couple?
A marriage officiant is a person who officiates at a wedding ceremony.
The church gives the priests authority to officiate a union if and only if the couple (or one of them) resonates with the Catholic Church's teachings. Therefore, the Catholic priest cannot actively participate in a Non-Catholic wedding.
A wedding officiant is a person, religious or non-religious, who is authorized to marry someone.
A Baptized Christian
Both partners do not have to be a Catholic in order to be sacramentally married in the Catholic Church, but both must be baptized Christians (and at least one must be a Catholic). Non-Christians cannot receive the sacraments.
The Church is now giving permission for couples to tie the knot outside of a church—but only in two cities. The Archdiocese of Montana and the Archdiocese of Baltimore, Maryland, have recently ruled that a priest or deacon can now officiate a wedding in "another suitable place."
| man and wife | bride and groom |
|---|---|
| cohabitants | man and woman |
| Mr. and Mrs. | wedded pair |
"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."
Statement on Marriage:
Dearly beloved, we are assembled here in the presence of God, to join this Man and this Woman in holy marriage; which is instituted of God, regulated by His commandments, blessed by our Lord Jesus Christ, and to be held in honor among all men.
Almost uniquely among human occupations, priests cannot marry, as a function of their vocation; nor can they engage in sexual acts, as proscribed by Catholic moral teaching.
Their main responsibility is to witness the consent of the intended spouses for the wedding license and hence validate the marriage or civil union for legal purposes.
Why are priest not allowed to marry?
Priestly celibacy is rooted in tradition, not Catholic dogma, so the pope could change it overnight. Those who are happy with the current rules say priestly celibacy allows priests time and energy to focus completely on their flock and to emulate Jesus, who was unmarried, more faithfully.
The guidelines were considered as a "secret". In 2020, the Congregation for Clergy released the guidelines to Vincent Doyle. They include two exceptions which allows priests to remain in the Catholic priesthood, having fathered a child, and openly acknowledged their child.
