quote “In my mere 26 years of priesthood, I have seen the number of weddings I perform each year decrease from 35 to 5”
that’s more a reflection on the church than marriage.
I am in a business that deals with weddings almost exclusively, and the only difference I see is that most people are skipping having their ceremony at a church. This mainly a budget issue. Churches these days in our area charge $1,200-$1,500 for just a few hours for the ceremony.
Traditionally, if you were a member .. that was FREE.
When a young couple is looking for things to cut to save money, this is where they will cut.
Thus, they are missing out on the Sacrament of Matrimony and the graces included.
Exactly right. Whoever heard of a church charging a member to get married there? A church seeing a wedding as a chance to get paid is on the wrong path.
In real life a few cents of electricity is the only real “cost”. Families and friends clean up after and lock the door. That’s what a group of Christians should do.