Priest goes out to meet civilly married couples with Catholic macro wedding

Priest Javier Cervera, parish priest of the Archdiocese of Madrid (Spain), has been organizing with the help of volunteers for several weeks a simultaneous macro wedding for about 20 engaged couples, who will contract the sacrament of Marriage next Thursday, August 29.

The date is not chosen at random, since on those days the patron saint festivities are celebrated in San Sebastián de los Reyes in honor of Santo Cristo de los Remedios.

With this initiative, Father Cervera wants to respond to the situation of some who, despite having faith, living together for a long time or being civilly married and having children, have not decided to commit themselves before the altar.

If they have not done so before, it is “because they left it or because at the time there were circumstances that prevented them from doing so,” such as waiting for their parents to emigrate to Spain, since the majority are originally from Latin American nations.

“Some of them were coming to Mass with the pain of not being able to take communion,” the parish priest explains to ACI Prensa, who has set a minimum of five years living together or being civilly married to be able to take advantage of this opportunity that was announced. a few weeks ago with a banner located on the façade of the church with the title: “Macrowedding: the dream can come true.”

In Spain, only 2 out of every 10 marriages are celebrated according to the Catholic sacrament, which is 83% less than in 1975. In 2022, only just over 34,500 religious marriages will be celebrated (the vast majority Catholic) out of a total of more than 178,000, which represents 19%.

Furthermore, on many occasions “it has become a business and a spectacle,” the priest denounces.

To face this situation, he considers that “we must be brave, because what is not acceptable is for people to live in mortal sin and stay there.” In his opinion, “you can’t tell people: you can’t take communion, you can’t go to confession, you can’t be a sponsor for baptism or confirmation, you can’t be a catechist… and you get annoyed. We have to do something”.

In this sense, he is convinced that it is not good to “be afraid to break the mold a little” and live the spirit of the Pope’s recurring exhortation to Francis to be willing to be “a troubled Church.” Because, when launching the initiative, the priest did appreciate “a certain risk” that people would consider it something frivolous.

Preparation of the bride and groom with marriage tutors

At least 25 couples have been interested in being part of the macro wedding, although, for different reasons, only twenty will make it to the altar. “Now we are at 18, where all the roles are fighting, but there are all kinds of situations.” For example, some do not know or cannot certify that they have received other necessary sacraments such as Baptism, so some will have to receive it under the condition (under condition).

For each couple that has shown interest in the macro wedding, the parish priest assigned a tutor couple who has accompanied them in this process so “not to be ‘alone in the face of danger’ and to be able to count on people in direct contact with the parish.” As the weeks progress, the priest confirms that it is an experience “that is going very well.”

In addition, the couple received a premarital course, of which Father Cervera highlights that, upon introducing themselves and expressing their motivations, “far from finding a bit of jokes, what happened was that it was like a thing from God, like a light, a push of grace that told them: Come on, this is yours!”

Many expressed that “they had felt strongly that this was the moment, the opportunity they were waiting for and relating everything to God,” adds the parish priest.

An army of volunteers for the macro wedding

The premise of organizing the event, in addition to removing these families from the irregular canonical situation, was to avoid expenses for the couple and minimize those that the parish may incur. They have already received a donation and hope to receive more through the account ES2200493520912114218830, in the name of the San Sebastián Mártir Parish.

But almost everything is being done with volunteer help. It is planned that the parish offices will become a large hair and makeup center for one day, attended by volunteer professionals and amateurs.

Forms are also being arranged to provide dresses and flowers. A few weeks ago, the parish priest received a message from a newly married young woman offering what she wore on her wedding day.

Furthermore, the parish has contacted the San Sebastián de los Reyes City Council in case it could collaborate in some way, either by paying a small tribute to the couple in some of the musical events that take place on the 29th, or by offering some invitations to the attractions that are installed in the municipality.

Contact is also being made with neighborhood clubs, who could get involved by offering a drink to the couple at their premises.