Rachel & Sam
Our Wedding Liturgy
What is the Mass?
The Catholic Mass is the most ancient form of Christian worship dating back to Christ Himself. Simply put, it's comprised of the Liturgy of the Word (i.e., Sacred Scripture) and the Liturgy of the Eucharist (i.e., Communion), and the purpose of Mass is to memorialize the once-for-all sacrifice of Christ for the salvation of the world. The congregation is invited to participate in various ways throughout the celebration, but the primary means of participating should be in prayer and attitude of heart. Standing, sitting, kneeling, and vocalizing prayers are all expressions of our interior disposition towards God.
The Traditional Latin Mass
Our ceremony in particular will follow the rubrics of an older liturgical rite known as the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM). This rite was formally established as the predominant liturgical expression of the Catholic Church in 1570 AD and remained so for about 400 years. It contains several prayers and religious elements that can be traced as far back as 300 AD. Though most modern Catholics practice a newer, simpler liturgy, the TLM remains a valid and beautiful expression of our love for God and reverence toward His Glory.
How is the TLM different?
If you are accustomed to the modern Mass, you will recognize several elements in the TLM, though the experience will be largely new. All of the prayers and hymns will be in Latin, there will be longer periods of silence than normal, and those receiving Holy Communion must do so on the tongue (rather than the hand) while kneeling at the communion rail. We'd recommend learning about the TLM so you can pray alongside the priest throughout the Mass, but you don't need to understand everything to appreciate the liturgy. Even if it's your first TLM, you can still pray in silence, reflect on the sacrifice of Jesus, and simply enjoy the reverent atmosphere that you don't witness anywhere else. The entire liturgy will be about 2 hours long, so you'll have plenty of time to settle in and appreciate the ancient practice of the Mass. If you would like to learn more before the wedding, please see the video below!
A Note on Communion
Our worship isn't merely about us going to God, but more so about Him coming to us. In the Liturgy of the Eucharist, Jesus Christ becomes fully present in our midst under the appearance of bread and wine so that He can unite us fully to Himself in a concrete manner. This is the source and summit of our Catholic faith, and reception of Holy Communion is the highest privilege of our lives on earth. In order to preserve the sanctity of this Sacrament and respect the teachings of the Church on this matter, please do not receive Communion unless you are a practicing Catholic in a state of grace (i.e., you have been to confession within the last year, maintained your Sunday obligation to Mass, and are not currently in a state of grave sin). This is not a means of exerting religious superiority or meaningless exclusion - rather, it allows us to approach the Table of the Lord with the highest degree of reverence toward this beautiful gift made present to us.