Unit Nine: Rites of Commitment 
(Marriage, Sacraments of Order)
Context:
1. Ritual as Action:
•	a group celebrates its story, values, identity;
•	hands on those values and treasures to a new generation
2. Ritual as integral to wholeness of vision of Vatican II
i.e. the life of worship and mission as intimately linked
In these 'rites of increase', persons within the Body of Christ arc recognised as having
•	specific role/function
			 	Marriage
•	specific relationship		to each other		 order
	- 	to the group as a whole 
(N.B. this is not in opposition to the universal call to holiness, implying a sub-group of 'super-Christians. '
MARRIAGE IN THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH
•	Marriage is a natural right (and rite) long predating the Church 
•	for first centuries of the Church, people married without a Christian rite
1. Theology of Christian Marriage
a) Covenant
Communion of life and love
symbol of relationship between Christ and the Church
b) The couple as ministers of the sacrament
Church (assembly and its minister) as witness
c) Marriage as existential
•	There is a ritual moment of consecration (viz. exchange of consent); but:
•	marriage as-a lived reality is a relationship into which people grow
People are growing into a relationship which changes them:
relationship with each other/within the group
relationship to families, to friends
2.Preparation
•	People on the journey towards marriage need to be supported
•	Remote preparation does not have a 'beginning' but is a lifetime absorption of values and behaviour from the community
A 'Holistic' approach to preparation
•	based on principle of total formation expressed in RCIA: ( evangelisation)
catechesis
prayer
word of God
ministry of others
worship
living of values
Ritual possibilities in preparation:
(cf role of ritual in other existential journeys: pastoral care of sick, etc) 
•	At or before time of engagement (simple service in home or church) 
•	during period of engagement (prayer in home; preparation groups; blessings)
3. The Wedding
a) Structure of the rite
•	sacrament of faith built on the Word
b) Study of texts
•	preliminary questions
•	exchange of consents
c) Illustrative rites
•	(cf baptism, order); rings, candle, gift
d) Pastoral issues
•	eucharist or not
•	liturgy v. 'folklore'
•	preparation of the rite; 
environment
movement
music as integral structural requirement
4. Married life
a) Ministry of married people to the community 
care of children/each other/clergy
b) Ritual moments
Blessing of new house 
Celebrating anniversaries 
Renewal of vows
c) Continuing Support, 
Reconciliation
Interchurch, Interfaith, 'malcroyants' 
Separation, divorce and the sac raments
SACRAMENTS OF ORDER
[1. (optional): THE ASSEMBLY AND ITS PRIESTHOOD
The Notion of Priesthood (cf Unit I)
(key texts: I Cor 12:4-/3; Eph 4:3-13; I Pet 4:10-11;
Vatican II: LG 1-4, PO, CD)
I priesthood of Christ the High Priest
2 priesthood of all believers by virtue of baptism & confirmation
3 priesthood of ordained ministers
•	treatment of relationship/distinction between ordained and commissioned ministries; future ministries]
2 THE RITES OF ORDINATION
The revision of 1968 —
'Ordination' applied to all three degrees of priesthood
Major points of revision (cf Unit 1: Principles of Vat. II reform)
•	excision of repetition (caused by fusion of Roman/Gallican traditions) 
•	clarification of central sacramental action:
Laying on of hands in silence, and consecratory prayer
Theology of Vatican II
expressed in: prayer of consecration; model homily
[Examine in some detail the rite of Ordination of Presbyters
•	compare with former rite to illustrate change: structure, 
heightened theology of service and collaboration;
less emphasis on power and independence from Assembly]
RELIGIOUS PROFESSION; 
CONSECRATION TO A LIFE OF VIRGINITY
Until1970, orders and congregation used their own rituals
Model Latin rite published in 1970 (English translation 1971)
not intended to do away with multiplicity of rituals
offered as a normative pattern
1970 ritual specifically excludes certain late medieval accretions, in accordance with Council's principles of reform
Structure: following principles for all revised rites
Revised rites of commitment have similar structure: 
Homily
Examination
Litany
Central act of profession
Blessing (new feature at taking of perpetual vows) 
Illustrative rituals
[Optional: Theology of Prayers, esp. Blessing (LG44)
Salvation centred on Christ; religious life as following Christ 
not private specialisation; bound up with life of Church]
Bibliography and Documentation
C.J.Walsh (ed) Instructions on the Revised Roman Rites, Collins 1979 [with  reference to Marriage and Ordination Rites.] [N.B. Does not take into account the new Marriage Rite for England and Wales]
'D. A. Withey, Catholic Worship: Kevin Mayhew, 1990, ch.15
J. D. Crichton, Christian Celebration, Geoffrey Chapman 1981. Part 2: The Sacraments, chs. 7, 8. [N.B. does not take account of new Marriage Rite]