Archbishop Paul Meng Ningyou of Taiyuan has called on Chinese Catholics to reject the traditional practice of dowries in marriage, describing the sacrament as a gift rooted in gratuitous love and faith.
In a homily delivered during a church wedding recently, the archbishop said marriage should be understood as “a gift characterised by gratuitousness.”
He invited the faithful to “free themselves from the custom of demanding a dowry for marriage,” a practice still widespread in many parts of Chinese society.
The dowry system — involving the transfer of money, real estate, jewelry, or cars from a bride’s family to the groom — remains a major burden, especially in rural areas.
“The practice… continues to be a burden for young future spouses and their families of origin, causing the union to break up for many young couples,” the archbishop noted. “Families often go into debt to comply with the custom.”