1,520 Church marriages last year
Photo: Photocity.
There were 1,520 marriages at the altar last year, the Curia said in a break-down of statistics today.
It said 1,315 marriages were between Maltese while 66 involved foreigners. 31 of the foreigners were Catholic, 23 were non-Catholic, while in 12 of the marriages, one of the partners was not Christian. The Curia also registered 16 marriages between Maltese living abroad and 123 marriages by foreign couples.
The foreign spouses were 12 Italians, nine Russians, seven Britons and five Filipinos.
June was the most popular month for marriages (301) followed by July (242) and May (210). Most of the couples were between 20 and 29 years old.
During last year, 55 civil marriages were convalidated by the Church.
16 widows or widowers remarried, as did 48 persons whose first marriage was annulled.
The statistics do not include the diocese of Gozo.
Archbishop Paul Cremona yesterday celebrated Mass for newly weds and stressed that a Church marriage was for life. The vocation to marry meant commitment, he said. Mgr Cremona urged the couples to go together to Mass on Sundays and to participate in Church family groups where they could share their experiences and support each other.
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John Scerri
Jan 16th, 15:28
'Archbishop Paul Cremona yesterday celebrated Mass for newly weds and stressed that a Church marriage was for life'
I would say mutual respect , compassion, loyalty, understanding, intimate relationship, trust, are for life whether by the church or not .
When two persons love each other and decide to live together for one another the only thing they should understand is 'TO GIVE' reciprocally unconditionally without abusing of one another's goodintention.
The church does not recognise co habitation and does not accept that cohabitating persons receive holy communion but on the other hand allows them to go to confession ....
The church and clergy's opinion about baptism of children out of wedlock is confused ....Some clergymen will not make a feast for child out of wedlock together with others born out of married couples during the same mass. they baptise the child near the outside door.
And it goes on and on......
Mother Theresa said only one thing about LOVE ....Loving is Giving......giving until it hurts... not expecting anything in return.
Mr Peter Korsten
Jan 16th, 07:38
So how does this work, a church marriage between a non-Catholic or non-Christian? I had the 'misfortune' of having baptism, first holy communion and confirmation in the Catholic church in my native village, which meant I had to get proof of all of these, to the consternation of the parish priest when the Maltese Church authorities at first wanted more documentation than what he had provided. From that point of view, it would have been easier had I been born somewhere else.
Victor Pulis
Jan 15th, 21:08
Id divorzju vvutat ghalih din il generazzjoni mhux dik li tiela mela jigifieri il mentalita divorzista diga qeghdha hawn! Tghid liema generazzjoni dahhlet il mentalita tal koabitazzjoni? Innutaw li 48 persuna li kellhom iz zwieg annullat regghu izzwwgu. Kien hawn min qal li meta xi hadd jiddivorzja ma jergax jizzewweg imma jpoggi!! Interessanti.
m. borg (slm)
Jan 15th, 17:56
So divorce did not make an impact as we were led to believe.
A. Schembri
Jan 15th, 18:24
Not even a year passed borg...you have to give time to judge...
Tonio Bone
Jan 15th, 18:36
Well if you presumed that divorce would lead to less church marriages you got it all wrong! You should know, being Maltese, that we have a culture of doing things for others to see and not as we feel. Let's face it, from a purely religious point of view, if you have voted for divorce you should morally not wed in a church!
Divorce is just a faster way out of a marriage and not a deterrent not to wed in churches. It was not what you were led to believe, it's how you figured it out, albeit incorrectly!
Mr Ernest Vella
Jan 15th, 18:42
m.borg...mentalita divorzista ma tinbeniex fi ftit xhur imma l-impatt jibda jinhass mal-generazzjoni li tiela. imbaghad fuq kollox anke jekk il-maggoranza qalet iva, id-divorzju jibqa hazin.