SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE - QUESTION TIME

 

​Question 1: How are the candidates prepared for the sacrament of Marriage?

​Couples who intend to marry are given instructions on Marriage by the priest and the catechist. The necessary canonical investigation before marriage is completed by the priest or catechist to determine whether there are any impediments, etc., which might affect the marriage taking place.

​The priest and the catechist will determine the length of the instruction necessary for the particular couple. The instruction can last as long as four months, depending on the religion of the couple and their knowledge of the basic faith. The instructions follow a syllabus which covers all aspects of marriage and Christian family life. Marriage encounters as a preparation for marriage last between three and four weeks.

​Question 2: Is there a need to develop a uniform Pre-Cana programme at the deanery or parish level?

​It was suggested that an archdiocesan-wide programme would be most helpful in fostering good Christian marriages and family life. This would ensure that there was uniformity in information being disseminated.

​Question 3: What is the role of the community in the preparation of the candidates for the sacrament of Marriage?

​The responses confirmed that in most parishes the community is involved in the preparation and the celebration of Marriage. They encourage the couples through prayer and material and moral support. They are serious about the banns and provide advice to the couple so that they will have a good Christian marriage. Besides being present at the wedding ceremony, the community contributes food and drink to the celebration. It must be pointed out that there have been unfortunate instances where the community lacks generosity and expects the couple to underwrite all the expenses of the wedding feast. Another problem occurs when family members of the couple demand a grandiose celebration, putting a strain on the couple's resources.

​Question 4: How does the dowry affect the Christian aspect of Marriage?

​A common phrase in the archdiocese is, "Without dowry, there is no sacrament."The practice of dowry can be a problem for Christian marriages because if the dowry is not fully paid or adequate, the parents of the bride may not permit her to get married, especially in the Church. It was agreed that there were many problems related to the practice of dowry. The first of which is the aspect of the "sale of the bride," which goes against human dignity and is an injustice. Some parents are more concerned with the wealth the dowry will bring, rather than the future of the child. This is an affront to the rights of women, and it should be discontinued. 

Secondly, failure to pay the dowry leads to cohabitation and consequent failure, so that children of such unions are denied Baptism. There was a strong sense that the Church should lead the fight against dowries and their evil effects.