Catholic Marriage: A Pastoral and Liturgical Commentary is a collection of essays by scholars and practitioners on the rites, spirituality, history, theology, and pastoral practice surrounding the Sacrament of Matrimony in the Roman Catholic Church. Those who minister to engaged couples and teach the sacrament will appreciate the accessible approach to the meaning of Christian marriage and how it has been expressed in the rites of the Church and cultural customs.

James and Evelyn Whitehead, longtime partners in marriage and in the exploration of Christian spirituality, open the book with their essay “Promises to Keep: A Spirituality of Christian Marriage.”

The collection then focuses on the marriage rites themselves from a variety of perspectives. Kimberly Hope Belcher, assistant professor of theology at the University of Notre Dame, wife and mother, offers “A Theology of Marriage.” Anne McGowan, assistant professor at Catholic Theological Union (CTU), also married with children, presents “Committed in Christ: A Historical Overview of Christian Marriage Rites.” Gilbert Ostdiek, OFM, professor of liturgy at CTU whose long career includes work on the translation of the rites of the Catholic Church, discusses the “Evolution and Translation of the 2016 Marriage Rite.” CTU professors Edward Foley and Richard Fragomeni focus on  the adaptations that other bishops' conferences  in the Western world have made in “The Marriage Rites: an International Perspective."

Turning toward the pastoral aspects of the celebration of marriage, Paul Covino, husband, father, grandfather, deacon, campus minister, and expert in advising soon-to-be married couples, shares his wisdom in “Preparing the Wedding, Preparing for Marriage.” Diana Macalintal, who with her husband is cofounder of TeamRCIA, explores a crucial and often overlooked aspect of any sacramental celebration in “Mystagogy of Marriage.” Timone Davis, assistant professor at Loyola University Chicago’s Institute of Pastoral Studies, teams with Ed Foley to reflect on “Preaching at Weddings.” Conductor, composer, teacher, pastoral musician, wife, and mother Jennifer Kerr Budziak joins Richard Fragomeni in considering “Music in the Celebration of Marriage: Reflections on Best Practices."  Finally, Patrick R. Lagges, who served for many years in the canonical offices of the Archdiocese of Chicago, presents “Canonical Reflections on the Order of Celebrating Matrimony.”

Kimberly Hope Belcher, Jennifer Kerr Budziak, Paul Covino, Timone Davis, Edward Foley, Capuchin, Richard N. Fragomeni, Patrick R. Lagges, Diana Macalintal, Anne McGowan, Gilbert Ostdiek, OFM, James and Evelyn Whitehead contributed to this resource.