Marriage preparation is not the same as marriage classes.
Marriage classes (instruction) is an integral part of Marriage preparation.
It is obvious that all the below could not be achieved in a simple interview, even if both prospective spouses were well known to the Parish Priest, who is ultimately responsible, even if he is not the celebrant.
The instruction is to ensure that the spouses may live out their future marriage life in a Christian fashion as opposed to the pagan marriages. Furthermore, the content of the instruction to the spouses is foreseen to include the sanctity of the sacrament, the mutual obligation of married people and the duties of parents towards their children470. Jones also suggested that the prospective couple must also be taught
to avoid Onanismus and in some cases the obligation of observing the weaning period of the mother (Stillepflicht der Mutter) in the marriage471. Though the canon did mention specific times when the personal instruction should occur, Gavin observes that the referral of canon 1019 to “antequam matrimonium celebretur and canon 1020 §1 to Parochus … opportune
ante tempore (assistendi matrimonio) diligenter investiget” suggest that the instruction should
take place well before the celebration of the marriage472.
The suggestion of Gavin and other commentators that the instruction should not be deferred to the days just before the wedding (as a kind of addendum or obnoxious necessity - Nadir's emphasis -) but that it should rather take place immediately before the proclamation of the banns or at least before the period of the banns has elapsed473
The addendum to c.1033 addresses itself to the spiritual preparation of the prospective spouses. It is recommended that the parish priest must exhort the parties to receive the sacraments of penance and holy Eucharist before the celebration of the marriage. This admonition becomes necessary because marriage is a sacrament of the Church and to receive it one must be worthy and be in the state of grace. However, the lack of these of sacraments do not make the celebration of the marriage illegal or invalid since it is only a strong exhortation rather than a rule. According to Jones, the parish priest can demand that the prospective spouses must receive absolution especially in cases where its omission would cause public scandal. For instance, if it is known publicly that the man was living in concubinage or did not fulfil his Easter obligation
might seem to be a more possible solution to the timeframe. Nevertheless, it is not clearly untenable if enough time could have been available between the investigations or the banns and the actual date of the wedding for the priest to have allowed any composite instruction.
Topic: New Novus Ordo Marriage prep classes (Read 4351 times)