I am honored whenever I co-officiate an Inter-Faith Ceremony.
A ceremony maybe arrived at after much angst and deliberation.
Not all parents or family members are in agreement with a couples decision.
I offer a non judgmental view on the ceremony.
I respect the faith journey of the couple and the assisting Co-Officiant.
Remember your Inter-faith ceremony ought not be an obstacle course .
Rather it is human and down to earth while also being reverential and sacred.
A ceremony maybe arrived at after much angst and deliberation.
Not all parents or family members are in agreement with a couples decision.
I offer a non judgmental view on the ceremony.
I respect the faith journey of the couple and the assisting Co-Officiant.
Remember your Inter-faith ceremony ought not be an obstacle course .
Rather it is human and down to earth while also being reverential and sacred.
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“When people of different yet connected traditions marry, perhaps they are imaging a new way of viewing life. It may seem disconcerting, but could it not also be a call to greater religious harmony?”
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Inter-Faith Sample Catholic-Jewish
Opening Remarks and Blessing Rabbi: Welcome family and friends. We come together today to recognize the love that Adam and Alexandra have for each other, and the commitment to spend life together that they are making today, before their relatives, their friends and the community. We rejoice in the joining of these two individuals, we share in that joining which brings two families and many friends together. In the life of each of us there are a few days which are very special. One of them is our wedding day. We call it a Golden Day. It is as if all our yesterdays were a preparation for this day, and as if all the tomorrows will be different and more meaningful because of it. It is a day when for us the earth stands still, a day when the light of our happiness shines forth as we look at each other and commit ourselves to each other. We rejoice that Adam and Alexandra join in marriage in the presence of God and loved ones. (Opening Hebrew blessing of welcoming of the bride and groom) Grant your blessings to the bride and groom. Surrounded by loved ones whose joy and prayers are with you here, you stand under this canopy, symbol of the home. May your home be a shelter against the storm, a haven of peace, a stronghold of faith and of love. Fr. Noel Welcome: Friends and Family, we have gathered here today to witness and bless the marriage of Alex and Adam. To this moment they bring the fullness of their hearts as a treasure to share with one another. They bring their dreams that bind them together in an everlasting commitment. They bring their gifts and talents, their unique personalities and spirits, which they will use as they build their life together. Marriage is the promise of hope between two people who love each other sincerely, who honor each other as individuals, and who wish to unite their lives and share the future together. In this ceremony, they dedicate themselves to the happiness and well-being of each other. We rejoice with them that out of all the world they have found each other; and that together they will find the deeper meaning and richness of human life in sharing it with each other. Let us pray: Fr. Noel: Dear Friends: We have come together here this day to share in the celebration of a marriage. Alexandra and Adam, desiring to enter the holy relationship of a marriage, now present themselves before God and this fellowship of friends and relatives that their mutual consent to be united as husband and wife may be heard, witnessed and consecrated. Rabbi: Remembering Loved Ones Who Have Died (send me names and relationships of those to be mentioned here) We are each of us born into this world and each one of us is individually formed by our families. They are a part of who we are both physically and emotionally, by blood and by values, and they have influenced how we first experience the world. At joyous occasions such as this, we remember those who have passed on with great fondness, for in their presence our lives were enriched. Today we would like to remember ___________. They are missed and we think of them and bless their memories. Readings (read by family members or friends) (optional – any readings can be chosen) Fr. Noel: Unity Candle (Part 1) In our wedding liturgy, candlelight symbolizes the commitment of love Alex and Adam are declaring today. Before us are three special candles. The two smaller candles symbolize the separate lives of the bride and groom and the two streams of their respective faith traditions. Until today, both have let their light shine as individuals in their respective communities. Now they have come to publicly proclaim their love in the new union of marriage. I invite both Mothers to light the outer tapers, representing the streams of faith of both traditions Fr. Noel: Vision ( Understanding of marriage) Adam and Alexandra, your marriage relationship offers you the highest and most intimate experience of love. A growing bond of affection, trust and mutual concern can bring you into a fuller life than either of you can achieve alone. As you share with each other your creative differences, your life together can become richer, more complete and more soul-satisfying. Marriage in this high sense is a uniting on all levels of your being: body, mind, heart and spirit. The longer you live together - the more you grow and develop as individuals - the more you will have to contribute to your marriage. As you stand here, in this high moment, remember that love, loyalty and trust are the foundations of a happy and lasting marriage. As you strive to fulfill the commitment you make here today, your life together can be increasingly full of joy, of satisfaction and of peace. Rabbi Ronald and I, pray that in all the events of life you will hold fast to the vision and promise of this, your wedding day. Consent and Vows. Fr. Noel Adam and Alexandra, have you come here freely and without reservations to give yourselves to each other in marriage? We have. . Vows Since it is your intention to enter into marriage, join your right hands and affirm your vows. Do you, Adam, take Alexandra , to be your wedded wife: to have and to hold from this day forward; for better, for worse; for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health; to love and to cherish; so long as you both live? I do. Do you, Alexandra, take Adam, to be your wedded husband: to have and to hold from this day forward; for better, for worse; for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health; to love and to cherish; so long as you both live; I do. Exchange of Rings Rabbi : These rings in their unbroken wholeness are tokens of the continuity of your love. May their shining substance be a symbol of the enduring trust and affection that you bring to one another. (Groom), as you place the ring on (Bride's) finger, repeat after me: With this ring, I join my life with yours. This is my beloved and this is my best friend. (Bride), as you place the ring on (Groom's) finger, repeat after me: With this ring, I join my life with yours. This is my beloved and this is my best friend. Rabbi’s Remarks Blessing Over the Wine Rabbi: This cup of wine is symbolic of the cup of life. As you share the one cup of wine, you undertake to share all that the future may bring. All the sweetness life’s cup may hold for you should be the sweeter because you drink from it together; whatever drops of bitterness it may contain should be less bitter because you share them. As we recite the blessings over the wine, we pray that God will bestow fullness upon you. (The one line blessing over the wine.) Blessed are you, O Lord, O God, Ruler of the universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine. Fr. Noel Lighting the Unity Candle Part two Fr. Noel In the wedding liturgy, candlelight symbolizes the commitment of love these two people are declaring today. Before you, you see three special candles. The two smaller candles symbolize the lives of the bride and groom. Until today, both have let their light shine as individuals in their respective communities. Now they have come to publicly proclaim their love in the new union of marriage. They do not lose their individuality. Yet, in marriage, they are united in so close a bond that they become one. Now, following the profession of their marriage vows, they will light the large center candle from the smaller candles, lit by family members, to symbolize this new reality. In this way they are saying that henceforth their light must shine together for each other, for their families, and for the community. From every human being there rises a light that reaches straight to heaven. And when two souls are destined to find one another, their two streams of light flow together and a single brighter light goes forth from their united being. Rabbi: Flowers (bring long-stemmed roses) As they come before us to be married, Adam and Alexandra wish to acknowledge their parents for the love and support they have given them. The flowers they give to their parents represent feelings of gratitude in their hearts. This moment marks a major change in their lives, but the ties of love and friendship with their parents will continue. Adam and Alexandra as you share a rose with your parents, let this be a symbol of your love for each other’s relatives. Marriage is more than simply the joining of two lives. It is the marriage of two families. May your love for them, as well as their love for you, live on. Benediction (Rabbi and Priest/Minister alternate in Hebrew and English): May God bless you and keep you. May God's countenance shine upon you and be gracious to you. May God look upon you with favor and grant you peace. Pronouncement By Priest/Minister or Rabbi: Your friends and family, all of us here, rejoice in your happiness and we pray that this day marks only one of many more blessings you will share in the days and years ahead. And now that you have spoken the words and performed the rites that unite your lives, we now, by the power of your love and the commitment you have made, declare your marriage to be valid and binding, and declare you (groom and bride), husband and wife. Breaking of the Glass We conclude this ceremony with the breaking of the glass. It is a joyous ceremony. There are many different explanations for the breaking of the glass. Today, the fragility of the glass suggests the frailty of human relationships. The glass is broken to protect this marriage with the implied prayer... May your bond of love be as difficult to break as it would be to put together the pieces of this glass. After (the groom, or the bride and groom) breaks the glass, I invite everyone to shout the Hebrew words "Mazel Tov," which means "good luck" and "congratulations." Inter-Faith Catholic-Hindu Sample
Middle of Ceremony: Hindu Priest will then carry out several Hindu traditions (~25 minutes). There will be a seat under the mandap provided for Father Noel during this time. Ceremony (Fr. Noel):
Contemporary Vows I, Ram,take you, Natalie,to be my wife and constant friend, my faithful partner in life and my one true love. On this special day, I promise to stay by your side as your husband in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, in good times and bad. I promise to love you without reservation, comfort you in times of distress, encourage you to achieve all your goals, laugh with you and cry with you, grow with you in mind and spirit, always be open and honest with you, and cherish you for as long as we both shall live. I, Natalie, take you, Ram,to be my husband and constant friend, my faithful partner in life and my one true love. On this special day, I promise to stay by your side as your wife in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, in good times and bad. I promise to love you without reservation, comfort you in times of distress, encourage you to achieve all your goals, laugh with you and cry with you, grow with you in mind and spirit, always be open and honest with you, and cherish you for as long as we both shall live. RING CEREMONY
These are the hands of your best friend, young and strong and full of love, that hold yours on your wedding day. These are the hands that will work along-side yours as you build your future together. These are the hands that will passionately love you and care for you throughout the years. These are the hands that will hold you when fear or grief torments your mind and with the slightest touch, will comfort you like no other. These are the hands that will give you strength when you struggle, and support and encouragement to chase down your dreams. These are the hands that will tenderly hold your children, and help keep your family together as one. These are the hands that will, countless times, wipe the tears from your eyes, tears of sorrow, and tears of joy. And lastly, these are the hands that even when wrinkled with age, will still be reaching for yours, still giving you the same unspoken tenderness with just a touch---- a touch from these hands Author Unknown
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