Describe the Marriage Service in the Catholic Church 100 Years Ago and Explain Why the Marriage Service Was Performed This Way. What Were the Restrictions on the Couple?

In the Catholic Church in the New Zealand 100 years ago the elements of a marriage ceremony were the same for everyone, this was a rule in the church. Marriage was for procreation, to have a family and children; therefore love was not an essential for marriage.

The Entrance Rite is at the start of the marriage ceremony, According to local customs, the bride's father escorts her down the aisle and giving her to the groom. This was seen as finishing a business transaction because back then parent gave away their daughter for land/property, money o r something with value.

The Liturgy of the Word is celebrated according to the rubrics. There are three readings and a gospel, after the gospel the priest gives a homily, reflecting back on the sacred text. 100 years ago the reading and gospel was all the same for everyone, they could not choose the readings that were read.

The Rite of Marriage, 100 years ago they did not need to give there consent because the couples were not freely going into marriage, this was because marriage was normally arranged by the parents, so the couple did not have a say.

The Liturgy of the Eucharist is a part of the Nuptial Mass; the Nuptial Mass was the only mass available 100 years ago. Since the marriage ceremony was the same for everyone and the Nuptial mass was only mass available the couple, man and women had to be both catholic because they had to receive communion.

During Vatican I the restriction on the couple were that they could not personalize the ceremony, they were not allowed to choose there own reading, music and prayers, so they could understand the true meaning of getting married, but during Vatican I marriage was not focused around the couple instead it was focused on the church, because the church believed that marriage was for procreation.