Vatican website translation:
77. The marriage rite now found in the Roman Ritual is to be revised and enriched in such a way that the grace of the sacrament is more clearly signified and the duties of the spouses are taught.
“If any regions are wont to use other praiseworthy customs and ceremonies when celebrating the sacrament of matrimony, the sacred Synod earnestly desires that these by all means be retained” [41].
Moreover the competent territorial ecclesiastical authority mentioned in Art. 22, 52, of this Constitution is free to draw up its own rite suited to the usages of place and people, according to the provision of Art. 63. But the rite must always conform to the law that the priest assisting at the marriage must ask for and obtain the consent of the contracting parties.
Latin text:
77. Ritus celebrandi Matrimonium, qui exstat in Rituali romano, recognoscatur et ditior fiat, quo clarius gratia Sacramenti significetur et munera coniugum inculcentur.
“Si quae provinciae… aliis laudabilibus consuetudinibus et caeremoniis” in celebrando Matrimonii Sacramento “utuntur, eas omnino retineri Sancta Synodus vehementer optat”.
Insuper competenti auctoritati ecclesiasticae territoriali, de qua in art. 22 § 2 huius Constitutionis, relinquitur facultas, ad normam art. 63, exarandi ritum proprium usibus locorum et populorum congruentem, firma tamen lege ut sacerdos assistens requirat excipiatque contrahentium consensum.
Slavishly literal translation:
77. The Rite of celebrating Matrimony, which exists in the Roman Ritual, is to be reviewed/reformed and made more adorned, by which the grace of the Sacrament may more clearly be signified and the obligations/tasks/offices of the spouses may be communicated.
“If any provinces use…other laudable customs and ceremonies” in celebrating the Sacrament of Matrimony, “the Sacred Synod strongly prefers that they by all means be retained.”
In addition, the faculty is given to the competent territorial ecclesiastical authority (concerning which [information is found] in article 22 § 2 of this Constitution) according to the norm of article 63 to draw up a rite proper to the customs of the places and appropriate to the peoples, nevertheless according to the strict law that the assisting priest request and receive the consent of those contracting [matrimony].
The Council Fathers now turn their attention to the reform of the rites of Matrimony/Marriage. They continue to enunciate the theme appearing throughout their treatment of the reform of sacramental celebration that the texts and ceremonies by which Marriage is celebrated are to “clearly signify” their meaning, with special attention to the obligations to which the spouses commit themselves. They quote the Council of Trent in allowing various regions to maintain the matrimonial traditions proper to that region. Most interesting they grant to all proper bishops’ conferences (and not just those in missionary areas) the right to construct a Rite of Matrimony for their region, as long as there is a public exchange of consent between the spouses. After this general introduction, the next article will spell out more concrete guidelines on how the editio typica is to be constructed.
Pray Tell readers may wish to discuss: 1) how well the Rite of Matrimony used in their region clearly employs texts and ceremonies that signify the Catholic Christian understanding of marriage; 2) if they are aware of any significant differences with the Rite of Matrimony used in language groups or cultures other than their own; 3) how the Rite of Matrimony might embody “stages” by which the dating become engaged and finally married, as well as celebrations of anniversaries of marriage; 4) what elements from one’s culture might be inculturated into the Roman Rite of Matrimony.
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