relgious non - legal wedding in the philippines

[Caryh 5,206]

Sounds like the catholic government legal proceedings are more argues then the US government immigrations process. Wonder if the fees are any cheaper?

Depends, what price do you put on your soul?

[RickJovi 81]

This was exactly our concern prior to getting married. I happened to have a US tourist visa so I was able to visit my fiancé while our K1 petition is being processed. During my visit, we met with his parish priest to tell him about our wedding plans. We thought we could do the seminar while I was visiting as a tourist, but the parish required a 6-month pre-cana seminar and the schedule was for a later date which would not fit in to our schedule or I would have to overstay my tourist visa, so our only option was to do the seminar when I get back on a K1 visa. We tried to explain to him the 90-day restriction of the fiancé visa and asked him if we can just attend the Engaged Encounter Seminar (which is only a 3-day seminar), but he said he can’t allow it. To our surprise, we got his “blessing” to have the civil wedding for immigration purposes, HOWEVER, he made it clear that while we are legally married, we cannot consummate the marriage until we have the church wedding. This was not an issue because I was also scheduled to have a major surgery at that time which required months of recovery. So, we had our civil wedding in the US and 5 months later, we had our church wedding in the Philippines.

It is best that your fiancé talk to his parish priest and explain the situation. Some priest may be lenient about it. He might allow you to attend the Engaged Encounter Seminar in lieu of the 6-month pre-cana.

I am recently coverted to th Catholic faith, but let me tell you when I marry my fiancee in a couple of weeks, I will consummate my marriage as much as I want. I will be legally married and although I am now Catholic I don't believe in all the bull that the Church tries to pull telling you you cannot make love to each other because you don't have the Catholic seal of approval. I guess that is what confession is for, but in my heart if I am married, I m married and do not feel I am committing a sin. A lot of Catholics don't believe everything that the Catholic faith teaches or does. Just my feelings and my view. I guess I will hav to go to confession sooner or later.

[sjr09 155]

They charge a fee for your soul as well? Hope the catholic government gives senior citizen discounts, as most are on fixed income.

Edited June 1, 2012 by sjr09

[Cathi 5,757]

you can do pre cana in less than the 90 days you have to get married once your arrive...20 years ago when i married my first husband our pre cana was a 2 day seminar on a weekend just have your fiance speak to your parish here in the US before your arrival and get registered for pre cana. and you dont want to do any marriage type ceremony even if it is non legal while a k1 is pending. If the embassy even has any hint of any such ceremony your k1 will be denied. Good luck

[caelo 3]

I'm sorry to see some veiled criticism of the Catholic Church here, but I guess that is to be expected. Being an organization, it is, after all, made up of people who may be doing their best to do what is right and yet is subject to the limitations of their humanity such as weaknesses of character and personality flaws. It is perhaps, the encounter of some VJers with such members of the Church that led them to have their poor opinion of the Church as a whole. I am no stranger to malpractices in the Catholic Church myself but I must be fair and state also that most of the holiest and edifying persons that I have the blessing to meet are in the Catholic Church.

But going back to the topic, there is no price upon one's soul. My fiance and I are of limited means and our pastor understood this. We just consider marriage and its day-to-day demands (not to mention the "till death do us part thing") to be quite overwhelming and we sincerely want to involve God in it from Day 1-- that's why we prefer to get married in church. My fiance and I will have the simplest ceremony (no long gowns and no entourage for me) with just a handful of people who are closest to us. My family can't even be with us because we just can't afford it. A wedding is, after all, just a day, but a marriage is for a lifetime and we choose not to start our life together knee-deep in debt. Are the fees any cheaper? Well, our parish has waived charges and taking into consideration our situation, just requested for a voluntary donation from us.

[sjr09 155]

I'm sorry to see some veiled criticism of the Catholic Church here, but I guess that is to be expected. Being an organization, it is, after all, made up of people who may be doing their best to do what is right and yet is subject to the limitations of their humanity such as weaknesses of character and personality flaws. It is perhaps, the encounter of some VJers with such members of the Church that led them to have their poor opinion of the Church as a whole. I am no stranger to malpractices in the Catholic Church myself but I must be fair and state also that most of the holiest and edifying persons that I have the blessing to meet are in the Catholic Church.

But going back to the topic, there is no price upon one's soul. My fiance and I are of limited means and our pastor understood this. We just consider marriage and its day-to-day demands (not to mention the "till death do us part thing") to be quite overwhelming and we sincerely want to involve God in it from Day 1-- that's why we prefer to get married in church. My fiance and I will have the simplest ceremony (no long gowns and no entourage for me) with just a handful of people who are closest to us. My family can't even be with us because we just can't afford it. A wedding is, after all, just a day, but a marriage is for a lifetime and we choose not to start our life together knee-deep in debt. Are the fees any cheaper? Well, our parish has waived charges and taking into consideration our situation, just requested for a voluntary donation from us.

It's not criticism, but sarcasm. Some people really do sell their soul, or believe it has a price. If it has a price it can be sold.

http://www.visajourn...ost__p__5412732

[Caryh 5,206]

It's not criticism, but sarcasm. Some people really do sell their soul, or believe it has a price. If it has a price it can be sold.

http://www.visajourn...ost__p__5412732

He must be a bit stressed out, he's lost his sense of humor.

To the OP. I see people sell their soul all the time. Some almost always do the right thing and care for others, doing their best to keep their soul on the right path, often guided by their faith or religion. Others would stab their own mother in the back for a few extra dollars. Most fall somewhere in between, knowing we do wrong sometimes and there's a price on our soul when we do. They say laughter is good for the soul, try it once and while rather than taking offence. For one thing, it helps relieve the stress of this whole immigration process. Good luck in your visa journey and wedding.