Marriage
Sacred Scripture begins with the creation and union of man and woman and ends with “the wedding feast of the Lamb” (Rev 19:7, 9). Scripture often refers to marriage, its origin and purpose, the meaning God gave to it, and its renewal in the covenant made by Jesus with his Church. Man and woman were created for each other. By their marriage, the couple witnesses Christ’s spousal love for the Church. One of the Nuptial Blessings in the liturgical celebration of marriage refers to this in saying, “Father, you have made the union of man and wife so holy a mystery that it symbolises the marriage of Christ and his Church.” The Sacrament of Marriage is a covenant, which is more than a contract. Covenant always expresses a relationship between persons. The marriage covenant refers to the relationship between the husband and wife, a permanent union of persons capable of knowing and loving each other and God. The celebration of marriage is also a liturgical act, appropriately held in a public liturgy at church. Catholics are urged to celebrate their marriage within the Eucharistic Liturgy.
Prayer for a Married Couple
O God, who in creating the human race
willed that man and wife should be one,
keep, we pray, in a bond of inseparable love
those who are united in the covenant of Marriage,
so that, as you make their love fruitful,
they may become, by your grace, witnesses to charity itself.
Through Christ our Lord
Amen.
Prayer of a Couple on the Anniversary of Marriage
We praise you, O God,
we bless you, Creator of all things,
who in the beginning made man and woman
that they might form a communion of life and love.
We also give you thanks
for graciously blessing our family life
so that it might present an image of Christ’s union with the Church.
Therefore look with kindness upon us today,
and as you have sustained our communion
amid joys and struggles,
renew our Marriage covenant each day,
increase our charity,
and strengthen in us the bond of peace,
so that we may for ever enjoy your blessing.
Through Christ our Lord
Amen.
Mission Statement
The Church of Saint Peter in Chains is a Catholic Church in Ardrossan, Ayrshire, Scotland. Saint Peter in Chains belongs to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Galloway. It is a relatively young Church having been opened in 1938. Most Churches in the surrounding towns are well over a hundred years old. The Parish hopes to re-energise the local Church through authentic witness that can inspire people to rediscover the message of Catholicism.
We hope to play an active part in the New Evangelisation by striving to be “missionary disciples”. This website exists for two reasons. Firstly, it informs the community of Church services and other events and secondly, it records the history of the parish. These aims form our mission statement.