 |
March 22, 2007 |
 |
| Couples get overview of wedding liturgy |
|
|
Seminar helps engaged couples plan church service
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Mary Robertson, director of music and liturgy at Three Holy Women Parish in Milwaukee, leads a discussion on wedding music during a "Love is Patient, Love is Kind" wedding seminar March 10 at Three Holy Women-St. Hedwig Church. The seminar gave engaged couples on overview of the options available for their wedding liturgy. (Catholic Herald photo by Sam Lucero) |
Planning a wedding is not for the faint of heart. Dozens of vendors offer hundreds of options for the engaged couple to bring their wedding day together.
However, what little they may know about choosing flowers or a photographer, it’s a safe bet they know even less about choosing the appropriate songs for a Catholic wedding liturgy.
“We realized that at the beginning of every year, there are all those big wedding shows, with information given to the couple about reception music,” said Mary Robertson, director of music and liturgy at Three Holy Women Parish in Milwaukee. “What we want to do is provide a similar service for the other part of their wedding day, which is the liturgy.”
Having run a similar program at St. Anthony Parish in Menomonee Falls, Robertson launched the “Love is Patient, Love is Kind” seminar last year at Three Holy Women. It was held this year on March 10. The two-hour session provided an overview of the liturgy – what certain parts mean – and what options were available for music, readings and psalms.
In addition, couples can get information valuable to photographers and florists, such as where to set up and when it was appropriate to take pictures.
“The most often-heard comment we got was, ‘Now I know what to do,’ which is exactly the purpose of the event,” Robertson said.
A brief presentation is given at the beginning of the event by a priest to explain the theology of marriage, and the role music plays in each part of the nuptial ceremony. Various musicians and cantors are also on hand to play various pieces for psalm responses, processional and recessional music. Couples may even listen to CDs containing similar music to share with musicians of their own, or to make final decisions on which they prefer.
“The idea is to provide the couple with the tools to make good choices in planning their liturgy,” explained Robertson. “We try to catch them, then, in the early stages of their planning to help them understand what’s expected of florists, musicians and photographers.”
For this reason, Robertson noted, the couple can invite others in their wedding party, or those involved with their liturgy, to the seminar. She felt having everyone on the same page with the early planning helped avoid unpleasant surprises.
She added that having the theological understanding of the wedding liturgy helped to lay a spiritual foundation for the day. Coupling that with the practical information that they receive paints an overall clearer picture of how to create a meaningful and appropriate liturgy.
The seminar also serves to complement the current archdiocesan Engaged Enrichment program. Couples must attend either a conference, which is a day-long program at the Cousins Center featuring keynote speakers and large, group presentations on topics such as communication, family planning and conflict resolution, or an engaged enrichment day, similar to the conference, but smaller in size and offered at parishes.
Most often, couples who have attended the seminar have questions answered that would not have been covered as specifically as the “Love is Patient, Love is Kind” seminar.
Those wishing to attend next year’s seminar should contact Mary Robertson at (414) 271-6577, or <mrobertson@threeholywomen.org>. |
|
|
