Gay Marriage, Slack Parents, and Religious Ceremonies: An Even Simpler Solution

Last updated on: June 24, 2015 at 11:46 am by Jennifer Fitz

Gay Marriage, Slack Parents, and Religious Ceremonies: An Even Simpler Solution 2015-06-24T11:46:37-05:00 Jennifer Fitz

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The usually sensible Fr. Longenecker proposes that the Catholic Church get out of the civil marriage business as a way to avoid being forced to officiate at same-sex ceremonies.

There is a much simpler solution: We could decline to offer Catholic wedding ceremonies to couples unless at least one of the two is a practicing Catholic.

We already try to do this, witness the massive hoops that Catholic couples are forced to jump through in order to get a church wedding as it stands. We attempt the same thing for the other white-dress sacrament as well, never mind that our usual strategy is counter to Catholic teaching.

I don’t propose that we torment same-sex couples with our notorious bureaucracy until they cave under the weight of it all and flee to the UU. But what if we were to treat our sacraments as something that Christian souls seek when they are earnestly desiring to know, love, and follow God? What if, when someone presented themselves for a sacrament, we were to take them seriously in their request, no matter how utterly unready for the undertaking they seemed to be?

When two men or two women present themselves to the pastor requesting a wedding ceremony, or some family darkens the doors of the church for the first time in a decade requesting First Communion, what if we tried, “Well, I’m very glad you’re here, but I’m concerned that you’re asking for something you don’t fully understand. Let’s begin by your telling me a bit about yourselves. Can you tell me about your relationship with God up to this point in your life?”

There’s good news. God made you, He loves you, He wants to live forever with you. This is the story of Jesus, the story of your salvation. This is the what the Church is, what the sacraments are . . . if you’re still with us, let’s start digging into the Ten Commandments. Okay good, let’s talk about how God made us male and female and what that means — for everyone in general, and for you in particular? How about we learn about the fitting worship that is due to God alone, and how that works in your life?

By the time you’ve actually prepared a person to be ready to receive a sacrament, the question of whether they are going to Mass every Sunday or whether they want to marry a person they simply cannot marry has ceased to be a concern. Someone who is properly disposed to receive the Eucharist is in a state of grace — including fulfilling the Sunday obligation. Someone who is properly disposed to receive the sacrament of Marriage will by definition choose, to the best of his or her ability, a suitable spouse.

Practicing Catholics go to Mass on Sunday. Practicing Catholics don’t marry people they are ineligible to marry.

So ironically, if we could just follow the Catholic faith, we would have no argument with Caesar. We’ll witness the marriage of any Catholic who is prepared to receive the sacrament, end of story.

Artwork: Rogier van der Weyden (1399/1400–1464) The Seven Sacraments Altarpiece [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Previous Post

June 24, 2015

Six Months 'Till Christmas: Feast of John the Baptist

Next Post

July 1, 2015 10 Things Christian Kids Need to Prepare for an Uncertain Future

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Books Catechesis Catholic Q&A Chastity Church Craziness Come See Me Talk Disability & Chronic Illness Economics Evangelization Facepalm Forgiveness Good Things History Homeschooling Human Rights It's All Catholic Listen to Me Survey Series Liturgical Living Marriage Modesty Not Satire. But almost. Rant-o-Rama Sacred Art & Music Satire South Carolina Spark Clutter Stick that Corner Suffering Thinking Topics Writing Stuff

Select a Month September 2026 July 2026 June 2026 January 2026 December 2025 September 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 November 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 May 2019 April 2019 February 2019 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who was the mother of Samuel?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Mary Rebekah Hannah Sarah