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DEPARTMENT for MARRIAGE & FAMILY MINISTRY |
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| Home | Marriage | Parenting | Divorce | Bereavement | Prepare Enrich | |
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PURPOSE OF THIS POLICY The Marriage Policy of the Diocese of Cleveland has been established to meet the following objectives: 1. To uphold the right to marry in cases where both parties give evidence of the required maturity consistent with canonical and pastoral requirements and supported by recognized professional standards. 2. To preserve the sacramental character of marriage in the Catholic Church. 3. To provide meaningful norms and guidelines for the pastoral evaluation of those who approach the Church for marriage. 4. To establish a standard of pastoral care for marriage preparation appropriate for the fulfillment of the human and spiritual dimensions involved. 5. To encourage all members of the ecclesial community to accept their role in caring for the marriage of each couple and for the well-being of family life in the Church. 6. To affirm the value of the social sciences, and particularly of professional counseling, as an aid to ministers and engaged couples in discerning and enhancing their vocational choice in marriage. Copyright © 1999 The Department for Marriage and Family Ministry, Diocese of Cleveland I. PREPARATION FOR MARRIAGE A. Ecclesial Responsibility Preparation for marriage is primarily a parish responsibility. Canon 1063 states that pastors are obliged to empower the ecclesial community to minister to the Christian faithful in those things that pertain to the matrimonial state. B. Responsibility for Preparation 1. Parish Priests and Deacons . Usually the parish priest or deacon who will witness the marriage vows will oversee the couple's assessment and preparation. He is to take it upon himself to contact any other clergy who are to be involved so that all responsibilities will be clear and known to the couple 2. Other Ministers who Assist in Marriage Preparation.Pastoral ministers, couple ministers, pre-Cana team members, liturgists, and others who assist in marriage preparation should work collaboratively with the priest or deacon in preparing couples for marriage. Those involved in preparation should avoid imposing unnecessary requirements on couples 3. Involvement of Another Priest/Deacon or Parish.a. Visiting Clergy. The diocesan custom is to encourage hospitality to be shown to any priest or deacon who may be requested to take part in the wedding ceremony. Individual parishes may have their own guidelines in this regard. The responsibility for marriage preparation belongs to the priest or deacon who will witness the marriage. When situations such as distance or relationship make it inappropriate for the guest clergy to prepare the couple, the pastor (or his delegate) remains responsible for the preparation process. b. Couple Separated During the Time of Preparation.. When a couple, or one of the parties, is out of the diocese during the time of preparation, they are to contact a local priest, deacon, or chaplain to supply the proper information, assessment, and preparation according to local procedures and customs. Priests and deacons of the Diocese of Cleveland should honor the forms, procedures, and programs that are approved in other dioceses and jurisdictions.c. Couples Who Have Been Refused for Marriage. Couples who have been refused by one priest or deacon may seek assistance for marriage from another priest or deacon. Since the reasons for the refusal will vary in each case, pastoral considerations require a prudent investigation into the circumstances of the original refusal before agreeing to proceed with marriage preparation.4. Marriages of Mixed Religion. For marriages of mixed religion, the normative reference is the Guidelines for Interfaith Marriages of the Diocese of Cleveland (1997) which states diocesan policy on interfaith marriage and offers pastoral guidelines for marriage preparation with couples when one party is not Catholic. Priests, deacons, and other pastoral ministers are to provide special instruction and support for the Catholic party in living his/ her faith as well as for the couple. If a minister from another Christian church is involved in the celebration of the marriage, there should be mutual consultation between the Catholic priest or deacon and the other Christian minister, even with regard to marriage preparation if this proves feasible.5. Catechumens. Catechumens (unbaptized persons who have been received through the RCIA in the Rite of Acceptance) enjoy a special status in the Church that includes the right to marriage. In marriages involving catechumens (i.e. with a baptized Catholic, or with another catechumen, or with an unbaptized person), the Rite for Celebrating Marriage Between a Catholic and An Unbaptized Person is to be followed Pastoral assessment and preparation is considered essential for Christian marriage. Accordingly, the couple is to seek an appointment with the priest or deacon at least six months prior to the intended wedding date. This six-month period is to be regarded as the minimum time designated for marriage preparation. Priests or deacons may waive this time requirement only in rare circumstances and for serious reasons.The couple is urged to begin marriage preparation as early as possible. Under no circumstances should a priest or deacon allow the date of the wedding to be entered in the parish calendar before he has personally spoken with the couple and determined that there are no major impediments to the marriage. It should be made clear to the couple that the date remains tentative until it is determined that none of the Causes for Delay or Refusal of Marriage (described in Section XI of this Policy) apply.
IV. APPEAL IN CASES OF DELAY OR REFUSAL If the marriage is delayed or refused, either the priest/deacon or the couple may have recourse to one of the Vicars General of the Diocese who will review the facts of the case in the light of the established Policy. Those seeking an appeal should submit their request in writing.The premarital assessment consists of three parts, the (a) spiritual, (b) personal, and (c) canonical assessments. These are indicated on the Information for Marriage form. Comments are to be noted by the preparing priest or deacon in each of the respective sections. This remains part of the permanent marriage file. The CDEM printout is not to be kept in the parish records A. Spiritual Assessment Minimal religious readiness includes the acceptance and practice of the faith by at least one of the parties or the serious intention to resume such practice. It also includes the acceptance of the religious and sacramental nature of marriage. B. Personal Assessment Minimum indications of the personal maturity necessary for marriage encompass several areas, including sufficient age, self-sufficiency, an awareness of the realities of married life, personal responsibility, self-acceptance, and an ability to subordinate one's personal desires for the sake of the relationship. C. Canonical Assessment An investigation is required to determine the freedom to marry and the freedom from any impediments of the law. Since the consent makes a marriage, it is essential that a couple be completely familiar with what their consent means. The declaration included on the Information for Marriage form is an expression of current theology and Church law and is to be signed at the conclusion of the prenuptial investigation and preparation. It is important that it be discussed and understood by the couple prior to signing it.VII. CONTENT OF MARRIAGE PREPARATION Couples are to be instructed in areas related to the meaning of Marriage and the experience of married life. These areas include: (1) the doctrinal, moral, and spiritual dimensions of the Sacrament of Marriage; (2) experiences of prayer; (3) the dynamics of the process of marital growth and the development of marriage and family life as a community of life and love; (4) conscience formation regarding responsible parenthood and Church teaching on natural family planning; and (5) the shared mission of parents as the first educators of their children and their first evangelizers.Responsible Parenthood Each parish must accept responsibility for conscience formation in the matter of responsible parenthood. No married or engaged couple can be expected to make a decision about children without knowing the Catholic moral teaching regarding conjugal love, responsible parenthood, and natural family planning. Information about natural family planning should be given to engaged couples of childbearing years. Domestic Violence Pastors and others charged with preparing couples for marriage should address the issue of domestic violence with all couples during marriage preparation by (a) offering a clear condemnation of violence in all its forms in marriage; (b) affirming the basic equality of persons created in the image of God; and (c) discussing with couples what a healthy relationship looks like. If there is a suspicion that violence already exists in the relationship, the pastoral minister should approach the victim in a way that protects her/his safety and preserves absolute confidentiality. It is never appropriate to assess a victim's risk in the presence of an abuser. VIII. PROCESS OF MARRIAGE PREPARATION Even when allowing for individual pastoral judgments in this regard, there are certain elements that should be considered normative in the process of preparing couples for marriage. These include (a) the role of the priest/deacon; (b) the involvement of trained married couples; (c) the use of the premarital inventory; and (d) an adequate period of time allowed for marriage preparation.A. Role of the Priest/Deacon The role of the priest/deacon remains central in marriage preparation. They not only evaluate the couple prior to marriage and complete the marriage forms and church records; the clergy also contribute to the spiritual and pastoral well-being of the couple throughout the preparation process by virtue of their training, pastoral expertise, and position in the ecclesial community.B. Involvement of Trained Married Couples To assist the clergy in preparing engaged couples for marriage, trained married couples offer a valuable contribution through sharing their faith, knowledge, and lived experience. In the Cleveland Diocese this assistance is typically offered through parish pre-Cana programs, Couple Ministry, Engaged Encounter weekends, and the regional preparation programs offered by the retreat houses in the diocese. C. Use of the Premarital Inventory The use of a premarital instrument facilitates dialogue and is an integral part of marriage preparation. In the Cleveland Diocese, CDEM is the normative premarital inventory. D. The Time Allotted for Marriage Preparation Adequate time for marriage preparation and the premarital investigation must be allowed. Six months is considered the minimum time for marriage preparation. Couples should be informed of this requirement and the reasons for it so that they will understand its purpose and plan accordingly. E. Persons with Disabilities Although certain physical and mental disabilities may render one incapable of contracting marriage, the presence of physical and mental disabilities in themselves does not abrogate or abridge the individual's canonical right to marry (c. 1058). Provision should be made to include persons with disabilities in marriage preparation programs F. Diocesan Support The Department for Marriage and Family Ministry serves as the diocesan resource and training center for marriage preparation and for marriage and family enrichment The use of CDEM is strongly recommended whenever dealing with special issues in marriage preparation.
A. Teenage Marriage Where one or both of the parties is under twenty years of age, special attention must be given to their readiness for marriage. Clergy may recommend a professional evaluation by a member of Catholic Social Services or other professional. B. Pregnancy The urgency of marriage in cases of pregnancy creates special challenges for those preparing couples for marriage. Pregnancy in itself is not sufficient reason to ignore the need for adequate preparation for the sacrament. Careful consideration must be given to determine marriage readiness and the impact the pregnancy has on the decision to marry.
C . Cohabitation When a couple are living together and approach the Church for marriage, it is necessary to probe their understanding of commitment, fidelity, and perpetuity within the context of the Church's teaching on marriage. The fact of cohabitation should be seen as an important dimension in evaluating their attitude toward marriage rather than being seen merely as a basis for refusing or accepting the intent of the couple to marry. Failure to discuss the Church's views on cohabitation and to provide proper evaluation of their readiness for sacramental marriage can have serious pastoral implications and may be a potential source of scandal D. Prior Marriage Special sensitivity should be shown to couples preparing for remarriage. Special preparation programs --Cana II Pre-Cana programs and Cana II Couple Ministry-- address issues unique to remarrying couples and are strongly recommended. Remarrying couples should not be made to attend programs designed for those entering a first marriage. In all cases of previous marriage (where either a declaration of nullity or death certificate is required), those involved in marriage preparation should focus on the obligations of the parties to pre-existing relationships, particularly to children from a prior marriage. 1. Previous Annulments Whether or not there is a formal prohibition from the declaration of nullity, a marriage and divorce from a previous spouse has implications for a subsequent marriage. If there is a prohibition, the Tribunal will provide direction on how to proceed before a new marriage is contracted. If there is a prohibition from the Tribunal, the pastoral minister must address the concerns of the Tribunal and present the results of the marriage preparation to the Chancery for its nihil obstat.
2. Widows/Widowers A prior marriage, even when successful, does not replace the need for a thorough evaluation and preparation of widows and widowers for remarriage. Widowed persons deserve a full, meaningful preparation for the sacrament that is responsive to their special needs. While the grief process may be the most obvious issue that would affect the success of a future marriage, other issues related to step-parenting, blended families, financial and property arrangements, and other concerns are to receive careful consideration in marriage preparation. Widows and widowers should not be made to attend programs designed for those entering a first marriage. The use of the Cana II Pre-Cana program or Cana II Couple Ministers allows widows and widowers a more appropriate format in which to address their needs.3. Validations Generally, marriage outside the Church does not constitute cause for omitting or waiving the normal assessment and preparation process called for in this Policy. A distinction should be made between stable, longstanding unions and recent unions, particularly among the young. A major consideration in the preparation of a couple for validation is the reason for their request, whether they are choosing to marry in the Church because of their understanding of a lifelong Christian commitment or because they consider the validation to be a remedy to problems in the relationship in order to save the marriage. No date shall be set for validation until a pastoral evaluation and adequate preparation occurs. X. ISSUES OF RITE, PLACE, & TIME OF MARRIAGE A. Rite 1. Marriage of Two Roman Catholics If both parties to the marriage are Roman Catholic, the celebration may take place in the parish where either party resides. For the wedding to take place in another Roman Catholic Church, the permission of either of the proper pastors is required. 2 . Marriage of Catholics of Different Ritual Churches Sui IurisIn marriages of Catholics belonging to different ritual Churches, the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches states that the wedding properly takes place in the rite of the groom, unless a just cause excuses. If the prospective groom is a member of an Eastern Ritual Church sui iuris, the couple should be referred to the proper Eastern Catholic priest. Should the couple determine that the marriage will be celebrated in the Latin Rite, the priest should approach the Chancery of the Diocese of Cleveland to obtain the appropriate permission. B . PlaceIn keeping with the sacred character of the Sacrament of Marriage, weddings properly take place in the parish church of either the bride or the groom. Other Catholic chapels may be used if it is agreeable to those who administer the chapel and if proper delegation is given to the priest or deacon involved by the Pastor of the territorial area. In interfaith situations, consult the Guidelines for Interfaith Marriage of the Diocese of Cleveland. C. Time Marriages may be celebrated on any day of the week except Sunday. Each parish should establish and publish regulations regarding the time for marriage after considering the parish liturgical and pastoral schedule. XI. CAUSES FOR DELAY OR REFUSAL OF MARRIAGE A. Canonical impediment unless dispensed. If no dispensation is possible, the marriage must be refused. If an impediment exists (e.g. previous bond), it must be stated unequivocally that no date can be set until the matter is resolved. B. Declaration of intention to deny the other party's right to a permanent union, to exclusivity, and to the procreation of children. C. Questions concerning the quality of consent. Couples who seem to have problems in this area should be referred for a more extensive premarital evaluation. If, after this referral, serious problems seem to be present, a delay is appropriate. D. Non-practice of the faith by the Catholic party or parties with no reasonable hope of resumption of such practice. E. Indifference or disdain for Catholic instruction of children. F. Lack of maturity or age. If there are concerns in this area, a referral for a more extensive premarital evaluation is encouraged. G. Refusal to cooperate with the marriage preparation process.
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