Can a Catholic marry a Jew in a civil ceremony?

[magdelaine]

My friend is Catholic and she is engaged to be married to a nominal Jew. She would like to married in the Church but his family has refused to attend a wedding there. Is there a process by which they can be married civilly and still have the marriage validated by the Church?

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

Possibly. Your friend will have to apply for dispensations from her bishop to marry a non-Christian in a non-Catholic marriage ceremony. She can ask her pastor for help in applying for the necessary dispensations.

In answer to a question that wasn’t asked – Should your friend be marrying a non-Christian? – your friend might want to consider her fiance’s family’s reaction to their marriage plans as a red flag warning her that she may find it difficult to keep the pledge the Church will expect of her to do her best to raise her children Catholic.

Recommended reading:

Is interfaith marriage advisable?
Should I marry a man of a different religion?