Looking back at the weekly messages of Father Paul Counce, first published in The Carpenter, our weekly Parish Bulletin
Published: August 02, 2015
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
It’s hard to accept that the month of August is already upon us. An old fogey like me can’t get used to the idea that school starts next week, since back in my day school began after Labor Day! Really, I don’t worry about school so much as about the school zones around town, and the lower speed limits that go into effect in them! My friend Father Than Vu, the recently-deceased pastor of St. Aloysius Parish, used to laugh that for about 15 straight years he always got a speeding ticket in the school zone right next to the Catholic Life Center on South Acadian Thruway during the first week of school. He said this made it “official”!
In any event, please be safe when driving through school zones, of course. And why not stop right now and say a quick prayer for all students and teachers in all of our schools who will be beginning another year of learning? They’re not just trying to comprehend human wisdom, after all: ultimately, “All wisdom is from the Lord,” as Sirach 1:1 in the Bible puts it. We hope that the learning-process for them all goes well this year!
In the past week-and-a-half I’ve met with some six couples who are preparing for marriage. As one of the most historic and beautiful church buildings in our area, the Cathedral is a popular venue for weddings. Yet for Catholics, marriage is something more than merely a pretty occasion for a party. Are you familiar with what more is required?
First of all, Catholics understand that matrimony is a solemn, lifetime commitment of faithfulness and fruitfulness. This is why Catholic prenuptial preparation – which has to allow for a minimum of six-months’ of preparation – focuses in part on what marriage is, and how it is distinct from other human relationships. When I do this with a couple, I give them a “refresher class” on God’s definition of marriage, and how the Church reflects this in her teachings. (They often laugh and admit that they didn’t really pay close attention to their lessons about the Sacrament of Matrimony in religion class when growing up, ’cause back then they weren’t planning on getting married!)
Besides typical sessions with their parish priest, Catholic premarital preparation also involves attendance at a preparation program run by married couples. Engaged Encounter is the best one I know of, and for that reason I almost always require it. In the western Church, priests have less practical experience at being married, after all! We also typically insist on standardized evaluative instruments such as the Prepare/Enrich or Foccus tests, to help the couple understand their strengths and weaknesses, and assist them in their communication with each other. In special situations – when couples are of different religions, have been married before, are already cohabiting or pregnant, or otherwise need special counseling – adjustments in the preparation and time-frame are made as needed. Both the clergy and laity who prepare couples try to clue them in that what they’re really preparing for is not a moment – a wedding – but a lifetime.
Eventually, of course, planning for the wedding ceremony does happen. Here at the Cathedral we are fortunate to have Mrs. Judy Jumonville as our wedding ceremony coordinator. She meets with couples to plan the service, conducts the rehearsal, and is on hand throughout the wedding to facilitate the little details that make up the liturgy. I want to take this opportunity to thank her for her outstanding ministry for us in this role.
Weddings here at the Cathedral are typically scheduled at least a year in advance; due to the number which we host, I’d never recommend a couple wait until the minimum six-months that’s required by policy. In the Diocese of Baton Rouge weddings are not held on Saturday evenings, to emphasize that the “anticipated” vigil Mass begins the more important celebration of the Lord’s Day. But we often celebrate two or three weddings here over Friday evening and Saturday. While I’m happy to take care of the preparation and officiate at weddings of our own parishioners, couples from other parishes are properly prepared by their own parish clergy, and one of them is expected to officiate. Oh, and I suppose I should mention that at present we do ask a $600 fee for weddings of those who have been parishioners at least a year before scheduling it, and $1,200 for all others. This doesn’t include music or flowers, but it does cover our coordinator’s fee, air-conditioning, insurance, and the usual setup and cleanup that’s needed. And while we’re not yet comfortable with renting the Parish Hall for receptions, we will lease it for a rehearsal dinner, for a separate fee.
You can read the full set of Wedding Guidelines on our parish website, at www.cathedralbr.org. Other questions are readily answered: just call the Parish Office at 225-387-5928 or email us at office@cathedralbr.org
Sincerely in the Lord,
