The Archdiocese of Baltimore is allowing weddings to take place outside Catholic Churches. Any Catholic with any trace of the sensus fidelium will understand that Matrimony is one of the Seven Sacraments, deserving of all solemnity and protection of Holy Mother Church. Of course it should be celebrated in front of the Blessed Sacrament and in the context of a Nuptial Mass. Such rubrics are a reminder that the Catholic wedding isn't just about the couple to be married, but more importantly is centered on God Himself. Now that the archdiocese has acquiesced to secular culture and attitudes regarding the venue for matrimony, it stands to reason that it will offer no antidote to the poisonous mindsets regarding marriage, period.
It's no coincidence that this news comes to us just before the various pride debaucheries are to take place in major cities across the nation - Baltimore being one of them. No doubt St Matthew's on Loch Raven Boulevard will be participating, as it has done in years past; probably other parishes will join in. One can count on Archbishop Lori et al to look the other way. Meanwhile the faithful Catholics had better do prayer and reparation, not only for those celebrating mortal sin, but for the prelates who won't offer a peep to protect the souls in their charge.
I taught my parishioners that when you get married in a church, you come to God. But when you get married on a beach, you want God to come to you. I guess I was wrong all these years.
ReplyDeleteOne reason may be that the young Catholics who are bothering to marry, want to do it at a garden or fancy hotel, etc. and perhaps it is hoped that if a priest or deacon can be there to validate, that they will remain Catholic???? All my young cousins are getting married in other venues.
ReplyDeleteAnother "exception" that may soon become the rule?
ReplyDeleteFor example, vernacular instead of Latin at Mass, receiving Communion standing rather than kneeling as well as in the hand rather than on the tongue, the very ordinary "extradordinary" ministers of Communion, girls replacing (or driving out?) boys as altar servers, "ecumenical" marriages (where one of the parties is not Catholic) in a non-Catholic church or civil setting (i.e., by a judge or JP), cremation instead of burial!
My money is on Lori hoping for a red hat by allowing this. Surely Poop Frankie will take notice!
ReplyDeleteThat thought crossed my mind, too.
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