Bottom

St. Joseph Catholic Church

1875 S C R 700 W
North Vernon, IN 47265

Rev. Jonathan P. Meyer, Administrator

Office Hours:

Monday Office closed
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 8:30 AM till 12:30 PM

St. Joseph Rectory Phone: 812-346-4783
Fax: 812-352-9033

Contact Office

Ask Fr. Meyer

Send Your Questions

There are many rumors about what you like and do not like at a wedding, can you clear some of these rumors up?

Last week I laid the foundation for many HOT TOPICS when it comes to Church weddings. I would now like to address them in specific in the next few weeks. All of these guidelines and other helpful tips for brides and grooms are being compiled in a booklet that will be printed and distributed to all 3 parishes in the next few weeks. I have been working on this wedding guidelines booklet with some brother priests and by consulting with new and not-so-new brides. I hope and pray it will clear up some of the “drama” of Catholic Wedding planning for future sacramental celebrations of marriage here in Jennings County. I would also like to offer 2 meetings entitled Everything you ever wanted to know about getting married in the Catholic Church, and encourage ALL people, especially single females, from age 13 years age and up to attend with their parents, or at least with their mother. This booklet is not retroactive. Due to this booklet not yet being published, any couple who I am currently meeting with for marriage prep will not be expected to conform to all of its requirements due to a lack of fore-knowledge. However, once it is published all brides and grooms are asked to comply. There are always loop-holes and certain exceptions. But these guidelines are being put in place to help the bride and groom and ensure the sacrament is celebrated well. So, let’s start with a big rumor ~ modest dress at weddings. It has been stated, “Fr. Meyer does not like strapless dresses and lots of exposed cleavage on brides and bridesmaids inside the church building.” This rumor is TRUE. But once again it is not just me…it is the Church. Yet, we as a Church have not upheld this standard and have allowed the Sacrament of Marriage to be received in immodest dress and have allowed this to become a “norm.” Reminder- a bride wears a white dress because it is a reminder of her Baptism. She was clothed in white on the day of her Baptism; so she wears white when she receives this sacrament as a symbol that she is a Christian; a saint bound for heaven. When was the last time you saw an immodest christening gown? When First Communion girls receive Holy Communion do they wear strapless dresses or have bare shoulders? When young girls receive the Sacrament of Confirmation as teenagers they are required to dress in a modest fashion. The dress is required to be a certain length; they are not allowed to have bare shoulders or a low neckline. Yet, for some reason, we (priests, mothers and fathers of brides and their fiancés who should be concerned about the bride’s modesty) have allowed the sacrament of Holy Matrimony to become a strapless dress version of Project Runway. It does not make sense that for all sacraments, except Holy Matrimony, there is a dress code. Speaking of fashion, the following statement is contradiction: a woman wearing a veil on her head is a sign of modesty, purity and mystery; when she also is wearing a very revealing dress it is a contradiction.

In St. Peter’s Basilica, the MOTHER Church of the World there are signs posted giving a dress code to enter the church. NO-bare shoulders, NO-mid-drifts, NO shorts above the knee. These are basic requirements for modest dress for ALL who enter a sacred building; especially those who are receiving a special sacrament. This modest dress code is not the “norm” in today’s wedding fashion; but it is possible. I have celebrated many weddings where the bride and her attendants wore appropriate dresses. I have also seen many brides and her attendants wearing wraps, jackets and shawls during the wedding ceremony that they have the option of not wearing at the reception. There are ways to “work” with this guideline. Just as it is hard to live our Catholic Faith in a world that rejects God and virtue, it may be hard to find the “perfect” dress for your wedding. But this is part of being a Roman Catholic, part of being virtuous and part of being holy. Back to Top