Can a protestant minister receive marriage vows in a Catholic wedding liturgy?

[fredkoch]

I want to marry a Protestant woman. We both lost our spouses after many years of marriage. She wold be OK with getting married at my Catholic Church, if her minister could perform the ceremony. Is it possible that the church would approve this?

 

[Fr.Charles_Grondin]

I am unaware of any regulation that would allow for a Protestant minister to receive marriage vows in a Catholic liturgy or vice versa.

The Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity’s Directory for the Application of Principles and Norms on Ecumenism states:

1. Upon request of the couple, the local Ordinary may permit the Catholic priest to invite the minister of the party of the other Church or ecclesial Community to participate in the celebration of the marriage, to read from the Scriptures, give a brief exhortation and bless the couple.

The document mentions several possible roles for a protestant minister in a Catholic wedding liturgy and does not mention receiving the vows so my assumption would be that it is not permitted. However it does list several possible options for the protestant minister’s participation that would be acceptable.

However, you may apply for what is called a “dispensation from canonical form” and receive permission from your bishop to be married in her protestant church.