Can a Catholic marry a Jew?

[JohnPaul]

1. A Catholic friend is considering marrying a Jewish person. She is 42 years old and is not planning on having any children under this marriage.

a) Can my friend marry her in the Church?
b) If she were to get pregnant, would she have to agree to raise the kids Catholic?
c) Could he get a dispensation so they could have a Jewish wedding?

1. She is also divorced and I believe has undergone some kind of Jewish ‘annulment’ process. The Catholic Church has never investigated her marriage.

Does she need to get an annulment from the Church before he can marry her?

 

[Christy_Beth]

Some of that will have to be answered by the right people. Like the annulment bit. Find out who the person is in your parish that helps with the paperwork. As far as a catholic and a jew getting married, that might not be as big of a deal. Years ago there was a news woman (who was with NBC) who was catholic and married to a jewish man. They raised their children with both faiths. They celebrated the “feasts” and the like. Christmas was along side with … (I can’t think of how it’s spelled!!)

It’s doable. But it won’t be easy. Then again, marriage is never easy.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

1. A Catholic friend is considering marrying a Jewish person. She is 42 years old and is not planning on having any children under this marriage.

a) Can my friend marry her in the Church?
b) If she were to get pregnant, would she have to agree to raise the kids Catholic?
c) Could he get a dispensation so they could have a Jewish wedding?

1. She is also divorced and I believe has undergone some kind of Jewish ‘annulment’ process. The Catholic Church has never investigated her marriage.

Does she need to get an annulment from the Church before he can marry her?

The Catholic would need to get a dispensation to marry a non-Christian. The Jew would need to be free to marry so there may be a need to apply for a declaration of nullity. Your friend should speak with his priest.

 

[bbentrup]

1. A Catholic friend is considering marrying a Jewish person. She is 42 years old and is not planning on having any children under this marriage.

a) Can my friend marry her in the Church?
b) If she were to get pregnant, would she have to agree to raise the kids Catholic?
c) Could he get a dispensation so they could have a Jewish wedding?

1. She is also divorced and I believe has undergone some kind of Jewish ‘annulment’ process. The Catholic Church has never investigated her marriage.

Does she need to get an annulment from the Church before he can marry her?

If she is not planning on having any children, then it is impossible for her to get married. One always has to be open to life. If you meant she was not expecting the blessing of children because of her advaced age or other reason, then she still has to go through all the other hoops.

 

[Harmony1988]

There is no church law that ultimately prevents marriage between faiths at all. But it’s strongly discouraged nevertheless, both by the Church and the Bible itself.

 

[Michael_Neal]

it is allowed if the children are raised Catholic, if you intent to raise the child in both faiths it is not.

 

[Sepharad]

1. A Catholic friend is considering marrying a Jewish person. She is 42 years old and is not planning on having any children under this marriage.

a) Can my friend marry her in the Church?
b) If she were to get pregnant, would she have to agree to raise the kids Catholic?
c) Could he get a dispensation so they could have a Jewish wedding?

1. She is also divorced and I believe has undergone some kind of Jewish ‘annulment’ process. The Catholic Church has never investigated her marriage.

Does she need to get an annulment from the Church before he can marry her?

She would need to get a dispensation for disparity of cult, since the man she wants to marry is (I assume) unbaptized.

From what I understand from people I know who have done this, the promise is made by the Catholic partner, not the non-Catholic one (to raise any children as Catholics.) FTR, speaking as a religious Jew, if the female in the marriage is the non-Jew, they might as well go ahead and raise the children as Catholic anyway, since in Jewish law, a child is not Jewish if only the father is.

 

[Texas_Roofer]

1. A Catholic friend is considering marrying a Jewish person. She is 42 years old and is not planning on having any children under this marriage.

a) Can my friend marry her in the Church?

I think so once the outstanding issues are remediated

b) If she were to get pregnant, would she have to agree to raise the kids Catholic?

yes, if their intent is to avoid christian children the request is not for a catholic wedding

c) Could he get a dispensation so they could have a Jewish wedding?

sort of, kind of. He may need to look at two ceremonies one informal and licit a second ceremony which is unbinding to him. Certainly the diocese will have to advise and the Bishops opinion will be significant on this matter

1. She is also divorced and I believe has undergone some kind of Jewish ‘annulment’ process. The Catholic Church has never investigated her marriage.

Does she need to get an annulment from the Church before he can marry her?

She has to be “free to marry” before attempting a catholic wedding.

In summary this will all have t be reviewed in the diocese office however if they desire they can ultimately achieve these goals. hope that helps

 

[JuanCarlos]

The fact that she is not open to having children may be an impediment to the marriage, and could easily lead to sins such as contraception and abortion.

Baltimore Catechism Q 458

Q: What is the chief duty of husband and wife in the married state?

A:The chief duty of husband and wife in the married state is to be faithful to each other, and to provide in every way for the welfare of the children God may give them.

 

[zografou]

JohnPaul,
This is a question better asked your to priest or post in “Ask an apologist” for the official Church practice on this.

The daughter of one of my Catholic friends is in a serious relationship with a young Jewish man… they seem to think it will be alright for them eventually to wed…

I was both shocked and amazed to hear this! I know with all certainty this could not and would not be possible in the Orthodox Church for the following reason:

• Marriage is a Holy Sacrement and as such the bride and groom must be Baptized in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
  -no if, ands or buts.

Holy Matrimony is not just a ceremony, contractual agreement or formality one goes through in order to validate their love for one another or allow them to live together without sin…

It is a Holy Sacrement…a Holy Mystery in which the Holy Trinity participates to create a lasting spiritual bond between the man and woman who have come together, before God and in His acknowledged presence with prayer and worship to submit themselve for the Lord’s blessing.

A sacremental marriage is “performed” by an ordained Priest, under the auspices of his Bishop of the Diocese; but indeed it must be kept in mind that it is actually blessed and concecrated by and through The Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

In other words, it is only the action and participation of God which seals the marriage. [Edited]

Pray for them YES! Love and chesrish them, YES! by all means!!!

[Edited]

It is not simply a matter of each to his own or what is politically correct in the small minds of the majority today.

Life is not just the here and now…Who and how one worships and is thereby directed in life is much too critical and essential to the very core and being of one’s eternal soul…it determines all.

If they must wed outside the Church, so be it. But, then they are outside the Church and at the Lord’s mercy…
But sadly, I wonder, if their helpmate cannot be of one mind and one accord in the most important matter of life… what kind of life together will they make?

Anyone know the current statistics on divorce? With so many marrying multiple times, I wonder how that skews the figure…

Kyrie Eleison!

 

[Ruthie]

• a) Can my friend marry her in the Church? *

Yes, if the conditions of b, c, and 2 are met.

• b) If she were to get pregnant, would she have to agree to raise the kids Catholic?*

First, if she enters the marriage with the intention to not have children, it will not be a valid marriage. If, however, she believes she is infertile, but would welcome children if they came, that’s fine.

Yes, she will have to promise to raise any children in the Church.

• c) Could he get a dispensation so they could have a Jewish wedding?*

Yes, if a priest will attend as a witness. I think a deacon may be a witness, too.

2) Does she need to get an annulment from the Church before he can marry her?

Yes.

Ruthie

 

[JohnPaul]

Thank you to all for such thoughtful responses. I hope my friend does the right thing!

 

[Phemie]

• a) Can my friend marry her in the Church? *

Yes, if the conditions of b, c, and 2 are met.

• b) If she were to get pregnant, would she have to agree to raise the kids Catholic?*

First, if she enters the marriage with the intention to not have children, it will not be a valid marriage. If, however, she believes she is infertile, but would welcome children if they came, that’s fine.

Yes, she will have to promise to raise any children in the Church.

No, she won’t. The Catholic party has to promise to do all he/she can to have the children baptized and raised as Catholics but the non-Catholic party does not have to promise anything. The Church recognizes that the non-Catholic party has as much right to raise the children in his/her own religion as the Catholic has to raise the children Catholic.

As far as “all in his/her power” goes, that does not mean putting the marriage in jeopardy in order to raise the kids Catholic.

• c) Could he get a dispensation so they could have a Jewish wedding?*

Yes, if a priest will attend as a witness. I think a deacon may be a witness, too.

No, if a dispensation from canonical form is granted there need be no involvement of Catholic clergy. A priest may of course attend if the couple wants him there but there is no need for him to do so for the marriage to be valid. At least in Canada, if a couple gets a dispensation to marry outside the church, the Catholic party is responsible for informing the Church that the wedding has in fact been celebrated.

2) Does she need to get an annulment from the Church before he can marry her?

Yes.

Ruthie

 

[bbentrup]

Just for the record, Catechism Paragraph #1635 states

According to the law in force in the Latin Church, a mixed marriage needs for liceity the express permission of ecclesiastical authority.137 In case of disparity of cult an express dispensation from this impediment is required for the validity of the marriage.138 This permission or dispensation presupposes that both parties know and do not exclude the essential ends and properties of marriage; and furthermore that the Catholic party confirms the obligations, which have been made known to the non-Catholic party, of preserving his or her own faith and ensuring the baptism and education of the children in the Catholic Church.

This is confirmed in Canon 1125.

 

[Sepharad]

Zografou: Just to correct a mistaken impression you seem to have…religious Jews most certainly do recognize God our Father, and also the holy spirit (which we call the Ruach ha’kodesh). Its the “son” part we have the problem with!

 

[zografou]

Zografou: Just to correct a mistaken impression you seem to have…religious Jews most certainly do recognize God our Father, and also the holy spirit (which we call the Ruach ha’kodesh). Its the “son” part we have the problem with!

Dear Sepharad,

No, no! I am well aware that religious Jews most certainly DO recognise and worship the Lord God Almighty, and that The Lord God IS the ONE and only God of all…whether recognized, worshipped or acknowledged in all fulllness.

… I am also aware that the Word of God is also scripturally recognized by the religious Jews…The same Word of God Who is acknowledged and understood by the Christian Faith to be Jesus The Son of God/Christ/Annointed One/Messiah, Who fullfilled all that was, um shall we say “alluded to” (for lack of better term at the moment)…as written in the 5 Books of Moses, as well as by numerous prophets and in many of the Psalms…Holy Scripture, not made up by man, but inspired, revealed and spoken to them by Ruach ha’kodesh …

For The Church, it was when our Lord and Savior came dwelt among us and died for us so that The Father and Holy Spirit were clearly revealed.

Yet, I am also well aware, that He will be recognized as such by all at the time of His Second Coming, when He will return in Glory!

My point that the religious Jews/Hebraic Faith does not at this moment of time acknowledge The Father referring to God the Father of His Son…
if the Son is not acknowledged, then how is He The Father?
Father of Whom, if no Son?

May The Lord bless and keep you well! -z

 

[Sepharad]

Dear Sepharad,

No, no! I am well aware that religious Jews most certainly DO recognise and worship the Lord God Almighty, and that The Lord God IS the ONE and only God of all…whether recognized, worshipped or acknowledged in all fulllness.

… I am also aware that the Word of God is also scripturally recognized by the religious Jews…The same Word of God Who is acknowledged and understood by the Christian Faith to be Jesus The Son of God/Christ/Annointed One/Messiah, Who fullfilled all that was, um shall we say “alluded to” (for lack of better term at the moment)…as written in the 5 Books of Moses, as well as by numerous prophets and in many of the Psalms…Holy Scripture, not made up by man, but inspired, revealed and spoken to them by Ruach ha’kodesh …

For The Church, it was when our Lord and Savior came dwelt among us and died for us so that The Father and Holy Spirit were clearly revealed.

Yet, I am also well aware, that He will be recognized as such by all at the time of His Second Coming, when He will return in Glory!

My point that the religious Jews/Hebraic Faith does not at this moment of time acknowledge The Father referring to God the Father of His Son…
if the Son is not acknowledged, then how is He The Father?
Father of Whom, if no Son?

May The Lord bless and keep you well! -z

We refer to God as “Father” because He is our Heavenly Father…it means He is the Father of those who believe in Him.