The Dignity of Christian Marriage
Marriage in the Catholic Church is not merely a legal contract or the signing of a civil document. For baptized Catholics, marriage is a Sacrament, a sacred covenant established by God, through which a man and a woman are united in Christ for life. It is therefore a matter of profound spiritual, ecclesial, and moral significance.
For this reason, the Church teaches that Catholics are bound to observe canonical form in marriage, that is, to marry according to the laws and rites of the Church, unless a lawful dispensation has been granted. A merely civil marriage does not constitute a valid sacramental celebration of marriage for Catholics. Therefore, when a Catholic marries outside the Church without observing the required canonical form, this gives rise to a serious irregularity in relation to the sacrament and the life of the Church.
In certain limited cases, when a couple or one of the partners belonging to the Archdiocese of Colombo is living overseas and needs to register their marriage civilly under the Marriage Ordinance in Sri Lanka before celebrating the Sacrament of Marriage in the Catholic Church in the Archdiocese, the Archdiocese may grant prior permission under specific conditions. This is an exception that must be handled carefully, prayerfully, and strictly according to Church norms and Archdiocesan Directives.
Who This Applies To
This procedure applies only to parishioners belonging to parishes of the Archdiocese of Colombo who intend to solemnize their marriages in the Archdiocese itself.
It does not apply to persons from other dioceses. Those who do not belong to a parish within the Archdiocese of Colombo must contact their own parish priest and diocesan authorities.
Reasons For Granting This Permission
a. It is granted only when it is necessary to produce the Civil Marriage Certificate for the purpose of obtaining a family visa.
b. For any other reason the Auxiliary Bishop decides at his discretion.
What Is Prior Registration?
Prior registration is the permission granted by the Archdiocese of Colombo for a Catholic couple of the Archdiocese, one party is living overseas, to civilly register their marriage first in Sri Lanka, and later celebrate the Sacrament of Marriage in a Catholic Church in the Archdiocese of Colombo.
This permission is granted by an Auxiliary Bishop only under specific conditions and only through the proper process.
The First Step: Speak to Your Parish Priest
The first contact must always be your parish priest.
You must not approach this matter on your own, and you must not proceed to civil registration before consulting your parish priest. Only the parish priest will guide you in this matter and assist you with the request form and with the recommendation to the Church's Authority.
The parish priest will:
- listen to your situation,
- explain the Church's requirements and the Archdiocesan conditions,
- fill in the required form with you. If the partners are from two different parishes each parish priest has to recommend in the same form,
- both partners must prove by a valid document (baptismal certificate or affidavit) that they are 'Free to Marry' in the Catholic Church and in the Civil Law,
- the physical presence of the partners for a short interview with the Auxiliary Bishop along with the requested form recommended by the parish priest, “Free to Marry” certificates, visa and passport copies of the partner overseas is a must,
- the Auxiliary Bishop will issue the permission in writing.
Caution
No one should proceed with civil registration before completing this process properly. If one proceeds with the civil registration of marriage without such a permission from the Authority of the Church, the Solemn Celebration of Holy Mass or Service will not be permitted.
Important Conditions
1. Prior permission must be obtained first
Before any civil registration takes place in Sri Lanka, prior permission must be obtained from one of the Auxiliary Bishops of Colombo.
2. Civil marriage must NOT take place before permission is granted
If a couple proceeds to register the marriage civilly before obtaining this permission, they will not be eligible to celebrate a full wedding Mass or Service in the Church as though they were marrying for the first time.
3. If already civilly married, prior permission will not be granted
If the couple has already entered into a civil marriage, No prior permission can be granted afterward.
4. The duration of the permission
The Archdiocese allows this permission only for a stipulated period of time depending on their request and at the discretion of the Auxiliary Bishop.
5. Failure to follow the procedure has consequences
If the required procedure is not followed, the couple cannot be granted a full Nuptial Mass or Service in the Church. Instead, their marriage situation will need to be addressed according to the norms of the Church.
Conditions and Regulations of this Procedure that partners promise
a. The intended partners shall live separately until the solemnization of our marriage in the Catholic Church.
b. The fact of the civil registration will not become a matter of public knowledge and the partners will not have any function in this connection, until their marriage is solemnized in the Catholic Church. It should be registered in the Office of the Registrar, not at home or in a hotel.
c. The partners accept that the civil registration is not a valid celebration of marriage in the presence of the Catholic Church and it is not a Sacramental Marriage.
If a Couple Is Already Civilly Married
If a Catholic couple has already registered their marriage civilly without prior permission, they cannot then present themselves for a full wedding ceremony in Church as though the civil registration were only a preliminary step.
In such a case, the marriage will need to be rectified according to Church law and ecclesial procedure. This is why couples are strongly urged:
Do not register your marriage before speaking to your parish priest.
Final Reminder
Marriage in the Catholic Church is a sacred reality, not merely a legal formality. Therefore, couples are asked to approach this matter with reverence, responsibility, and obedience to the discipline of the Church.
Final Reminder
Marriage in the Catholic Church is a sacred reality, not merely a legal formality. Therefore, couples are asked to approach this matter with reverence, responsibility, and obedience to the discipline of the Church.
If you belong to a parish of the Archdiocese of Colombo and foresee the need for prior civil registration in Sri Lanka, please begin by speaking to your parish priest, who alone will guide you through the proper process.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Only parishioners belonging to parishes of the Archdiocese of Colombo who wish to have a full celebration of marriage after civil registration may apply through this procedure.
No. This procedure is only for the Archdiocese of Colombo. Those belonging to other dioceses must contact their own parish priest and diocesan authorities.
Prior registration is the permission granted by the Archdiocese for a couple to register their marriage civilly in Sri Lanka first and then celebrate the Sacrament of Marriage publicly in a Catholic Church in the Archdiocese of Colombo.
Because for Catholics, marriage is not merely a civil contract. It is a Sacrament. The Church therefore requires Catholics to marry according to canonical form, and not simply through a civil act.
No. Civil registration is a legal act, but it is not the sacramental celebration of marriage in the Church.
Because Catholic marriage is sacred. A Catholic who attempts marriage outside the Church, without observing canonical form, acts contrary to the discipline of the Church and creates a serious irregularity regarding the sacrament and the validity of the marriage.
You must first contact your parish priest. This is always the first step.
No. The process begins with the parish priest, who alone will guide you and prepare the request form to the Auxiliary Bishop.
The parish priest will explain the process, instruct you on the relevant conditions you will agree, fill out the form with you, prepare the other necessary documents and guide you to the Auxiliary Bishop.
No. You must not register your marriage civilly before speaking to your parish priest and receiving prior permission.
If you are already civilly married, you will not be granted prior permission afterward.
No. If the marriage has already been civilly registered without prior permission, you cannot have a full wedding ceremony as though it were a first marriage celebration. The marriage must instead be addressed according to the Church’s procedure for rectification.
No. If permission is granted, the civil registration must be strictly private and must not become a matter of public knowledge. Registration should only be occurred at the Registrar's Office.
No. The civil act is not to be treated as the public or social celebration of the marriage. The true ecclesial celebration is the Sacrament of Marriage in the Church.
The Archdiocese allows this only for a stipulated period. The couple must celebrate the marriage in the Catholic Church within the period.
This matter is normally attended to on Fridays, at the Archbishop's House, Colombo 08 Negombo and Ja-ela Regions on Wednesdays as well at Tammita and Ma eliya.
If the procedure is not followed, the couple cannot be granted a full Nuptial Mass or Service in the Church, and the matter will need to be dealt with according to Church norms.
No, the permission will not then be granted for the registration overseas. If you intend to solemnize your marriage in a Catholic Church in the Archdiocese of Colombo after the civil marriage registration, such marriage registration should be contracted under Marriage Ordinance in Sri Lanka upon the permission of the Church's Authority.
No public celebration of the marriage in the Catholic Church will be allowed except rectification (regularization of the marriage).
DO NOT REGISTER YOUR MARRIAGE BEFORE SPEAKING TO YOUR PARISH PRIEST.