My Fience and I recently got engaged (only a month ago). We decided to have the wedding this November, but I’m not sure if we can get married in a Catholic Church. I am Catholic he is Roman Catholic, We were both baptized but he had his communion, commencements and went to church as a child as were I did not. We have been living together for a year now also. I am not sure what needs to be done in order for us to get married in church. Do I need to have my communion or commencements or start attending church? I have no idea, and also not much time. Please help
Thank you
Stacie
Stacie, first of all, welcome to the forums.
I am concerned with some of the points that you have raised. First of all, can you explain or, rather, differentiate what the statement “I am Catholic; he is Roman Catholic” means?
If you were baptized as a Latin Rite Catholic (which your fiance also is), then, you are Catholic.
Second, this is a very important sacrament. The fact that you are asking questions means that the grace that was infused within you through Baptism is starting to work. But, it needs to be further developed. This means that both of you need to talk to a priest as soon as possible.
Does your fiance go to church? If so, then start going to Mass with him. Start learning about the Faith. Many of the threads here can help, but you do need that human contact. When you talk to the priest, explain that you are in need of the sacraments of Communion, Confession and Confirmation.
Unfortunately, both of you have put the cart before the horse, so to speak, by living together. What you are doing right now is a serious sin. While society has looser morals and promotes this kind of activity, it is not this way with the Church. I do not want to sound judgmental, but, I do not want to surgarcoat the Truth. Of all of the sacraments (apart from the Eucharist), Jesus spoke most forcefully and emphatically about marriage and what it means.
In the Nuptial Rite, when the priest asks for the consent of you and your future husband, he says “Christ abundantly blesses this love. He has already consecrated yourself to Him in Baptism…” Stacey, in her last interview, Diana, Princess of Wales bemoaned the fact that there were three people in her marriage during one of her final interviews. While we pretty much know where she was going with that comment, there is some truth to that. There must be three people in your marriage: you, your future husband and Christ (both He and His Church). Christ is the Church. The Church is His Body and His Bride. She is also the custodian and the imparter of the Sacraments.
That is why it is so very important for both of you to meet with the priest as soon as possible.
