The majority of Gen Zs and millennials questioned in a survey wish to get married in a Catholic church, new data shows.
The St Valentine’s Day survey, carried out by Amárach Market Research on behalf of the Catholic relationship counselling and marriage guidance body Accord, found that religious faith is rising among younger generations.
Up to 69 per cent of adults aged 18 to 24 identify as Roman Catholic as opposed to 53 per cent of 25- to 34-year-olds and 76 per cent of all adults.
A substantial 60 per cent of unmarried Catholics want to marry in a Catholic Church including 63 per cent of those aged under 35.
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The number of couples seeking Catholic marriage courses and counselling increased by 16 per cent last year with 239 programmes being provided for 3,612 couples in the Republic of Ireland, outside of the Dublin area.
Of Catholics who married outside of a church venue, 40 per cent would have chosen to have their wedding officiated by a Catholic priest if that option were available. Less than half of Catholics, at 47 per cent, are aware that it is possible to have a wedding ceremony in church without also having a Mass.
Less than a quarter, or 23 per cent, of Catholics are aware of convalidation ceremonies – a church wedding after a civil ceremony.
Research undertaken by Accord, an Irish organisation that provides support for marriages and relationships, provided 239 programmes for 3,612 couples last year in the Republic, outside the Dublin area.
Its director, Tony Shanahan, said the organisation’s Marriage Preparation Programme also served the needs of couples who are “legally married civilly, but who wish to convalidate their marriage in a sacramental ceremony under Canon Law”.
Shanahan pointed out that in continental Europe it is “quite common for the religious ceremony to be conducted separately from the civil ceremony on the same day or later”, provided the necessary requirements are met.
“Catholics who are married civilly can choose to make their marriage a lifelong covenant in a sacramental ceremony at any future date without time limit,” he said.
Ahead of St Valentine’s Day, Bishop Denis Nulty of Kildare and Leighlin and president of Accord, welcomed the findings of the research, notably the percentage of young people identifying as Catholic and their future intentions to marry in church.
“It is encouraging to see the strength of faith present in today’s society and I encourage all couples to consider the various ways they can celebrate their lifelong commitment to each other by choosing to celebrate the sacrament of marriage in a church,” he said.
