Blessing of my Marriage

Some folks marry outside the church and later may want to have their marriage blessed. There is a lot of confusion about having one’s marriage blessed (convalidated). Some of the questions that arise are will I have to do it all over again? Will I have a new anniversary date? Will my original wedding be null and void? Will my children be considered illegitimate? The answer to these questions is NO. The church is not saying, “You were never married, they are saying you have a civil marriage, not a sacramental marriage. When we do a blessing of a marriage (convalidation), what we are acknowledging is that your marriage was basically a civil union. We are not denying that the relationship is not real or that the government does not recognize it but supplying the missing sacrament and validating it under canon law. The sacrament of the marriage is the graces God bestows on the couple, the love they have for each other mirrors the love that Christ has for His church, to promote the good of the other in union with God. If you would like your marriage blessed in the eyes of the church, come see Fr. Bob Kelm or reach out to the deacons or the office. Do you want your marriage blessed?