A streamlined form for Irish couples getting married will
be rolled out from the First Sunday of Advent, following delays caused
by uncertainty over whether or not the form needed Vatican Approval.
A decision was made some years ago to make the mandatory
Pre-Nuptial Enquiry Form more accessible, with diocesan representatives
meeting in Maynooth in May 2014 to approve a new form.
The current form
has been in use for more than 20 years.
The Irish Catholic understands that attempts were
made to streamline the form, completed by all engaged people seeking
marriage within the Church, to make it easier to understand, with
questions reworded to help applicants give better answers and to more
clearly identify when special permissions are needed.
The form’s launch was originally scheduled for the First
Sunday of Advent 2014, with the aim that it be in universal use by the
following St Patrick’s Day, but despite thousands of forms having been
printed by Veritas and training sessions for clergy scheduled, plans
stalled when a decision was made to seek formal approval – termed
recognition – for the form from the Holy See.
It is understood that approval was granted some months
ago, and that training will take place for clergy in advance of the
form’s introduction.