my sins or infirmities, but of holiness and comfort, of love and dutifulness, as Thou hast intended it to be to all that love and fear Thy holy name. Amen.

Here may be said Psalm 121 (p. 201).

THE RITUAL FOR THE CELEBRATION OF MATRIMONY.

The Priest, vested in a surplice and white stole (but vested as for Mass, yet without maniple, if the Nuptial Mass is to follow), attended by an acolyte holding a vessel of holy water, asks, in the vernacular, in the hearing of two or three witnesses, the man and the woman separately, as follows, concerning their consent. And first he asks the Bridegroom, who must stand at the right hand of the Bride:

WILT thou take N., here present, for thy lawful wife, according to the Rite of our

holy Mother the Church?

R. I will.

Then the Priest asks the Bride:

N., wilt thou take N., here present, for thy lawful husband, according to the Rite of our holy Mother the Church?

R. I will.

The consent of one is not sufficient; it should be expressed by both, and there should be some sensible sign thereof.. Having obtain ed this mutual consent, the Priest bids the man and woman join their right hands.

In places where it is customary, the man and woman pledge themselves one to the other as follows, repeating these words after the Priest:

I,

The man first says:

N.N., take thee, N.N., for my lawful wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.

Then the woman says after the Priest:

I, N.N., take thee, N.N., for my lawful husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.]

The Priest then says.

GO conjungo vos in
matrimonium, in no-

mine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti.

Amen.

H

JOIN you together in marriage, in the name

of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy
Ghost. Amen.

He then sprinkles them with holy water.
This done, the Priest blesses the ring, saying:

DJUTORIUM 10s-
nos-

Domini.

trum in nomine

R. Qui fecit cœlum et

terram.

V. Domine, exaudi orationem meam.

R. Et clamor meus ad te

veniat.

V. Dominus vobiscum.

OUR help is in the

name of the Lord.

R. Who hath made heaven and earth.

V. O Lord, hear my prayer.

R. And let my cry come unto Thee.

V. The Lord be with

you.

R. Et cum spiritu tuo.

R. And with thy spirit.

Oremus.

Let us pray.

ENEDIC, Domine, BLESS, O Lord, this

annulum hunc,

ring, which

we

quem nos in tuo nomine bless in Thy name, that benedicimus, ut quæ eum gestaverit, fidelitatem integram suo sponso tenens, in pace et voluntate tua permaneat, atque in mutua charitate semper vivat. Per Christum Dominum nostrum.

R. Amen.

she who shall wear it, keeping faith unchanged with her husband, may abide in peace and obedience to Thy will, and ever live in mutual love. Through Christ our Lord.

R. Amen.

Then the Priest sprinkles the ring with holy water, in the form of a cross; and the Bridegroom, having received the ring from Land of the Priest, places it on the third finger of the left hand nị the Bride.

In some places the Bridegroom says after the Priest:

~ITH_this ring I thee wed, and I plight unto thee my troth.

STANDING enlighten my darkness, His COUNSEL guide me, His FORTITUDE strengthen me, His KNOWLEDGE instruct me, His PIETY make me fervent, His divine FEAR keep me from all evil. Drive from my soul, O Lord, all that may defile it. Give me grace to be Thy faithful soldier, that having fought the good fight of faith, I may be brought to the crown of everlasting life, for the merits of Thy dearly Beloved Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.