Wedding stuff update

So we have made some progress on the wedding front.

Chris & I have chosen the songs and sorta chosen the readings for the Nuptial Mass. I'll post them when we've finalized them!

We, have however, written our Consecration prayer.

Some of you may know that after professing their marital vows, a Catholic couple may then have their marriage/future life consecrated to Our Lady. This may involve a priest saying a prayer of consecration, and then the couple presenting flowers to a statue of Our Lady while the congregation sings a Marian hymn or something.

As soon as I heard about this custom some years ago I decided that it was too beautiful not to have! Plus Mary has helped Chris & I grow in holiness so much that I can think of nothing better than to formally consecrate our marriage & future to her intercession.

The Church we are getting married in is dedicated to the Holy Family and they have a side altar to Mary on right, and a side altar to St. Joseph on the left.

A few months ago Chris suggested that since we are both so dedicated to St. Joseph and his prayers have really got us through some life difficulties and have helped with our wedding preparation with our sanity (mostly!) intact, we should also consecrate our marriage to him.....

so then we just decided to consecrate our marriage to the Holy Family!

We checked with our Priest if this was okay, and he said it was wonderful!

So together with him we wrote a consecration prayer (see below).

What will happen is straight away saying our vows, this consecration prayer will take the place of the bidding prayers. Once Father has finished praying it, the congregation will sing a Marian hymn while Chris & I bring flowers to Mary and Joseph. Chris will hand me a posie of flowers which I will bring to Mary's side-altar on our behalf, and then I hand Chris a posie of flowers which he will bring to St. Joseph's side-altar on our behalf.

So here is the prayer we wrote:

"Today in this Church, dedicated to the Holy Family, we have witnessed the creation of a new family as Christopher and Antonia have been joined through the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony. We now dedicate & consecrate their married life to the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph.

Heavenly Father, when you sent your son Jesus to live humbly with Mary and Joseph in Nazareth, you showed us how family life can reflect and make present in our world, the love of the Holy Trinity itself. We ask you to give Antonia and Christopher the grace of the Holy Spirit to enable them to live their vocation following the example of the Holy Family.

Through the intercession of Mary, mother of your son Jesus and our mother, we ask that this same Holy Spirit may guide them along the path of holiness and purity. May her prayers help them to grow in love and generosity and through the intercession of St. Joseph grant them the grace to turn to you in trust for all they need.

With Jesus, Mary and Joseph, may they live in peace with you and each
other.

We pray, also, that you will unite their families in respect and love.
Bless and strengthen all families, especially those which may have been wounded in any way or are in need of your healing forgiveness.

We ask this, through Jesus Christ Our Lord."

Amen!

ps- the Ask me Something post is still open if you want to ask me something!! I will answer on Friday!

-