Masaki Friesenegger and Sue Liao exchanged vows yesterday at the Lady Chapel of Westminster Cathedral, a beautiful setting for a wedding. I solemnised the wedding and celebrated the nuptial Mass according to the usus antiquior. The music was provided by organist Peter Stevens and four choristers from the unparalleled Westminster Cathedral Choir. The Mass setting was Mozart's Spatzenmesse. I should note also that as ever, Paul Moynihan and the other personnel at Westminster Cathedral were as helpful as they could possibly be. It is always a pleasure to be involved in a liturgical celebration there.
In the usus antiquior, the vows are taken first of all, after the short instruction given by the priest. We then go into the sacristy to sign the civil register (if this is necessary.) Then the couple return to the chapel, the priest vests and Mass is begun. I do prefer this to the "we interrupt this Mass for another service" arrangement.
Sorry about the picture - as the celebrant I was not able to take photos during the wedding itself, and only caught the couple leaving for the reception afterwards, but it does at least include part of the vintage Rolls Royce in front of Westminster Cathedral.
4 comments:
Celebrant of the mass following the wedding, but surely not of the wedding itself. Aren't the bride and groom jointly ministers of the sacrament of marriage, or did the theology change as well as the rite?
The wedding first, the Mass, approach also has the advantage of being much easier on the nerves of a highly strung couple. In the door, married then relax and go to Mass together: perfect!
ref - My second use of "celebrant" was, I grant, ambiguous: the priest might be said to "celebrate" liturgically in his role as solemnising the wedding but certainly the couple are the ministers of the sacrament.
The first expression used in the post was more exact: "I solemnised the wedding and celebrated the nuptial Mass..."
My wife and I were married in that same chapel some 27 years ago...! Truly beautiful.
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