KCBC has asked the community members to get married after proper investigation of both the parties, especially if the bride and groom are residing abroad.
Concerned over increasing instances of marriages ending in divorces among members of the Christian community, Kerala Catholic Bishops Council (KCBC) has asked the faithful to exercise caution and not to enter into wedlock in haste.
KCBC has asked the community members to get married after proper investigation of both the parties, especially if the bride and groom are residing abroad, a council official said.
After a three-day meeting here, KCBC, a body of 35 bishops in Kerala, has decided to frame a set of guidelines to be followed during marriages in the three rites of the Catholic church-- Syro Malabar, Syro Malankara and Latin Catholic.
The draft guidelines would be sent to the dioceses headquarters soon, KCBC deputy secretary general Father Stephen Althara told PTI here.
"Annulment of marriages has gone up steeply since the past few years especially in cases where the bride and groom are from abroad. Many enter into apparent deceitful marriages
especially if the groom and bride are from abroad. This is normally the case when hasty marriages are taking place," Syro Malabar Church spokesperson Father Paul Thelekat said.
To conduct a marriage, there should be announcements on three Sundays in churches. By this, it is made public that the two parties are getting married and those having any objection may inform the parish priest.
This existing rule was not being followed strictly. Now, effort would be made to ensure that all parishes strictly follow it as far as possible, he said.
Besides, a 'pre stage certification' for conducting marriages has been made compulsory.
Those living abroad and wanting to get married in Kerala will have to produce certificates from the local parishes stating that he or she was not married. Some dioceses were not strictly following this practise, Althara said.
The KCBC has also asked the faithful to abstain from costly celebrations during betrothal, weddings, and first communion.
The council has also asked the parishioners not to conduct marriages on Sundays as it was affecting the Sunday schools.
The guidelines would be circulated in all the 29 dioceses and 4,300 parishes in the state, he said.
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