Sacramental Marriage in Costa Rica

We have sprung into wedding season here in Costa Rica! We praise God, because getting married in the Church is not popular here. People usually just live together. We noticed this right away when we first arrived in Costa Rica and asked why. There are a myriad of reasons, but mostly due to finances. The marriage is expensive, and the life after is more costly. Government assistance stops when a couple gets married. For many Costa Ricans we know, it is difficult to pay for food and needs as it is; without government assistance, it’s even worse.

Getting married in the Church is not popular here… mostly due to finances.

By God’s hand, four couples enrolled in our CICA class (the Costa Rican equivalent of RCIA). These faithful couples were offered the Sacrament of Marriage along with the other Sacraments of Initiation.

FMC missionaries walked with these couples to teach the importance of Holy Matrimony, and benefactors donated items (dresses and such) for the wedding, along with a little extra money to help with a reception. We couldn’t promise them an easy life, but we could promise them Jesus would be with them, and that He could be trusted when we surrender our marriage to Him. This life on earth is only temporary.

We couldn’t promise them an easy life, but we could promise them Jesus would be with them.

Although there is great opposition from others (even close family), these four couples are trusting the Lord for His providence in their marriages. And from their witness, two other couples are following suit!

During the last wedding, the groom came up to us and said he had always wished for this day, but never thought it would happen. He went on to say that without the missionaries in Costa Rica, it would never have happened. He later shared this at the reception in his speech as well. How good is our God!