Catholic marrying a non-Catholic

[Lil Red]

Neither of my sisters had Catholic weddings. I guess it only something you do if you want a Catholic marriage.

 

Valid, sacramental marriages:

-a Catholic marries another Catholic in a Catholic church by a Catholic priest

 

Valid, non-sacramental marriages:

-a Catholic marries a non-baptized person in a Catholic church by a Catholic priest with a dispensation

 

Perhaps another person would give examples of invalid, non-sacramental marriages. I have laundry to do. 

[blazeingstar]

Valid, sacramental marriages:

-a Catholic marries another Catholic in a Catholic church by a Catholic priest

 

Valid, non-sacramental marriages:

-a Catholic marries a non-baptized person in a Catholic church by a Catholic priest with a dispensation

 

Perhaps another person would give examples of invalid, non-sacramental marriages. I have laundry to do. 

 

 

Invalid, non-sacramental

-a Catholic marries another Catholic in a protestant church

 

Invalid, non-sacramental

-a Catholic marries a non Catholic in a civil ceremony

[Lil Red]

thank you blazeingstar! :) 

[Tab'le De'Bah-Rye]

all marriages are valid as in there a man and a women uniting in love with the hope of a life spent together, but not all marriages are valid catholic marriages. simple. :) You can't play by n.f.l rules in the world series of baseball, i don't see what's so hard to understand, catholic is catholic and dice aren't cards.

[Pliny]

I married a lapsed Catholic in a civil ceremony.

 

Before I became a Catholic, the RCIA team told me I needed to have my marriage "blessed."

 

So we had a Catholic marriage in the Church, but I didn't understand it was more than a "blessing" of what we already had.

 

I now understand that our civil marriage was not valid.  

 

I've also seen that one of the grounds for an annulment is believing that the the marriage ceremony we had in the Church was a "blessing" of our marriage.  Is this true?

 

 

[AugustineA]

I married a lapsed Catholic in a civil ceremony.

 

Before I became a Catholic, the RCIA team told me I needed to have my marriage "blessed."

 

So we had a Catholic marriage in the Church, but I didn't understand it was more than a "blessing" of what we already had.

 

I now understand that our civil marriage was not valid.  

 

I've also seen that one of the grounds for an annulment is believing that the the marriage ceremony we had in the Church was a "blessing" of our marriage.  Is this true?

 

Hi. I think for something like this you ought to go to the priest of your local diocese, or at least post it in the scholar's section. Situations like this can be serious and you may get a more gentle and measured response. :]

[Spem in alium]

This is an interesting topic and one that I think about often. My sister, who is a practicing Catholic, is currently in a relationship with a non-Christian. At the rate they're going, I'd say with reasonable confidence that they will get married, but unfortunately I don't know how likely it will be that they will get married in a Catholic church. And from what she's said about her boyfriend's attitude to Catholicism, I don't think it's certain they'll commit to raising their children Catholic.
 

I do wonder - do I have a duty to encourage my sister to consider a valid Catholic marriage? I would certainly want this for her, but not sure how much persuading I should do.

[NotreDame]

Hi. I think for something like this you ought to go to the priest of your local diocese, or at least post it in the scholar's section. Situations like this can be serious and you may get a more gentle and measured response. :]

^^^^ Worst advice ever! ^^^^ 

 

Every phatmasser knows you post all your biggest life crises in the debate table! 

[southern california guy]

I married a lapsed Catholic in a civil ceremony.

 

Before I became a Catholic, the RCIA team told me I needed to have my marriage "blessed."

 

So we had a Catholic marriage in the Church, but I didn't understand it was more than a "blessing" of what we already had.

 

I now understand that our civil marriage was not valid.  

 

I've also seen that one of the grounds for an annulment is believing that the the marriage ceremony we had in the Church was a "blessing" of our marriage.  Is this true?

 

I don't understand.  Are you divorced and considering getting an annulment?  I think that all you have to do is pay the church money and say the right things.  There seem to be plenty of people who will coach you on what to say.

 

I've never heard that about a marriage that was blessed in the Catholic church, but I don't really know much of anything.  But it would not surprise me.

[AugustineA]

^^^^ Worst advice ever! ^^^^ 

 

Every phatmasser knows you post all your biggest life crises in the debate table! 

 

lol, sorry Notre. I dunno what I'm sayin. 

[Lil Red]

 I think that all you have to do is pay the church money and say the right things.  There seem to be plenty of people who will coach you on what to say.

 

 

this is so far off the mark, it's not even funny. the annulment process can be a very long process if you're not sure about the validity of the marriage. the Church basically assumes every marriage is valid until proven otherwise. the spouse who starts the annulment process has to fill out paperwork, with questions about the marriage, and the history of the couple. it may be only 10 questions or so, but each question ends up getting an essay for an answer. Then the annulment tribunal reviews your answers, and interviews witnesses to the marriage, and then asks your spouse for their answers to the same questions. then the tribunal has a person who will argue on behalf of the marriage being valid, using the evidence presented, and a person who will argue on behalf of the marriage not being valid using the evidence presented. then, after that, the tribunal will make a decision. 

 

(disclaimer: this is how it works in my diocese, though I wouldn't think it would be drastically different from diocese to diocese within the U.S.)

[southern california guy]

this is so far off the mark, it's not even funny. the annulment process can be a very long process if you're not sure about the validity of the marriage. the Church basically assumes every marriage is valid until proven otherwise. the spouse who starts the annulment process has to fill out paperwork, with questions about the marriage, and the history of the couple. it may be only 10 questions or so, but each question ends up getting an essay for an answer. Then the annulment tribunal reviews your answers, and interviews witnesses to the marriage, and then asks your spouse for their answers to the same questions. then the tribunal has a person who will argue on behalf of the marriage being valid, using the evidence presented, and a person who will argue on behalf of the marriage not being valid using the evidence presented. then, after that, the tribunal will make a decision.

(disclaimer: this is how it works in my diocese, though I wouldn't think it would be drastically different from diocese to diocese within the U.S.)

Yes I am somewhat familiar with the process. I have heard people -- who had gotten annulments -- discuss it.

The question I have is whether or not a church blessing of a non-Catholic marriage will make the marriage "valid" (In the eyes of the Catholic church). And I wonder if such a blessing could be grounds for an annulment -- the fact that the marriage needed a Catholic blessing implies that the marriage was invalid to begin with? Edited March 15, 2014 by southern california guy

[NotreDame]

SC Guy, how is Escondido this time of year?

[southern california guy]

SC Guy, how is Escondido this time of year?

Weather wise it is paradise. No humidity, up to 80 or so during the day, down to 50 at night. The coast is a little cooler, but not a lot. No bugs. Southern California definitely has one of the best climates in the world.

[CatherineM]

Yes I am somewhat familiar with the process. I have heard people -- who had gotten annulments -- discuss it.

The question I have is whether or not a church blessing of a non-Catholic marriage will make the marriage "valid" (In the eyes of the Catholic church). And I wonder if such a blessing could be grounds for an annulment -- the fact that the marriage needed a Catholic blessing implies that the marriage was invalid to begin with?

When a couple who have married outside the Church, called not following Canonical Form, get their marriage blessed in the Church, the fact that they originally weren't married in the Church is not grounds for annulment. The blessing includes reciting the marriage vows. There is matrimonial consent in front of witnesses. The marriage is valid in the eyes of the Church from that point forward.