Q: I have a couple marrying on June 23 – a Friday and the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Do they have to use the readings for the feast of the Sacred Heart? The question has been posed— I don’t’ think you cover this in your book? I said no—but then thought I had best check…
A: I cover this in great detail in my new book, which just arrived on my desk today, Inseparable Love from Liturgical Press. The answer is also in chapter 8 of One Love, but I’ve explained more about it in the new book.
A wedding that takes place on the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus uses the presidential prayers and readings of the mass for the solemnity. The wedding takes place as usual, the nuptial blessing as usual, and the 3-fold solemn blessing for weddings may be given at the end of the mass. That is, if it’s mass.
If the wedding takes place without mass, the couple may choose readings from the wedding section of the lectionary.