CAN I HAVE THE WEDDING DONE IN A NON-CATHOLIC CHURCH? In a marriage between a Catholic and a baptized non-Catholic, where the cultural custom concerning the place of wedding favors the baptized non-Catholic, the wedding may be celebrated in a non-Catholic Church with due procedure and the permission of the Bishop or Parish Priest. The wedding celebration in a non-Catholic Church will require a dispensation from a canonical form from the local ordinary (Diocesan Bishop). According to Cannon 1121, § 3, For a marriage contracted with a dispensation from canonical form, the local ordinary who granted the dispensation is to take care that the dispensation and celebration are inscribed in the marriage registers of both the curia and the proper parish of the Catholic party whose pastor conducted the investigation about the free status. The Catholic spouse is bound to notify as soon as possible the same ordinary and pastor about the marriage celebrated and also to indicate the place of the celebration and the public form observed”. IF THIS IS THE CASE, WHY DOES THE CHURCH ALWAYS ASK THAT THE NON CATHOLIC PARTY BECOME A CATHOLIC? In the first place, the Church does not encourage marriage between a Catholic and a Baptized non-Catholic which is called Mixed Marriage, or between a Catholic and a non-Baptized person which is termed Disparity of Cult. However, if a Catholic finds his/her love outside the Catholic Church, the Church may permit such union if there is a just and reasonable cause; the Catholic party remains a Catholic and agreed to by the other party; they promise to have all the children born of such marriage baptized and brought up in the Catholic Church; both parties are instructed about the purposes and essential properties of marriage (cf Can 1124 & 1125). The Church will rejoice if the non-Catholic party becomes a Catholic. The Church, however, does not compel and will not force the non-Catholic party to become a Catholic. There are different practices and rulings in many particular dioceses regarding this, for example: I have heard of cases where the parents of the Catholic party who married a non-Catholic are being stopped from the communion. I personally do not see any rational in this and there is nowhere in the Church’s Law where the parents of the bride (unfortunately not the groom) are punished for the sin of their daughter (if it is a sin at all). Could this be a way of telling the parents that they fail to train their children in the way of the Lord (Prov 22:6) or an interpretation of the saying: The fathers have eaten sour grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge.? However, the Scriptures also say, “No longer will it be said: The fathers have eaten sour grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge. Instead everyone will die because of their own sin; whoever eats sour grapes will have his teeth set on edge!” (Jer 31:29-30). If the Catholic party, male or female, promise to remain a Catholic, in order words, continue his or her sacramental life (even when the other party is not ready to be converted to Catholicism), he or she should neither be denied nor anyone blamed for his/her choice. However, it must be noted that the celebration of the Sacrament of Marriage isnt just a social thing but a spiritual rites; of course, it is not a matter of fulfilling all righteousness as some people think. If either the bride or the groom will not continue the sacramental life by following the non-Catholic party to his or her church, then there is no need to have Catholic wedding. I have seen a lot of young people and even their parents becomg so passionate about the place of the celeration of the wedding considering the social implications; fighting the priest for saying the truth, BUT they care-less about the presevation of their FAITH. What you have come to is Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,… (Heb 12:23-24) Be Blessed.
Posted on: Sat, 18 Jan 2014 02:32:42 +0000
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