Is Confirmation mandatory before marriage?
It has been observed that many parish priests in Mumbai Diocese decline to fill up pre-nuptial enquiry forms and initiate marriage procedure, if either the girl or the boy has not yet received the sacrament of confirmation. This is against the 1983 Code of Canon Law. The Canon 1065 clearly states: “If they can do so without serious inconvenience, Catholics who have not yet received the sacrament of Confirmation are to receive it before being admitted to marriage”. It is therefore recommendatory in nature and not mandatory. Even in my native Nasik diocese in Maharashtra, marriage procedure is never withheld on the ground that one of the parties to marriage is not confirmed.
However, a bride’s parish priest from New Mumbai recently insisted on the confirmation of the groom before he could fill up marriage enquiry form, even though the bride was confirmed. According to the parish priest, confirmation was mandatory before marriage. It was only after telephonic intervention from the Archbishop’s House, the parish priest initiated marriage procedure and announced bans of marriage. The parish priests should be instructed to be laity friendly.
- Vincent Bagul, Mumbai
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