How difficult is it to obtain a dispensation from canonical form?

[HoyaSaxa09]

I am Catholic and am engaged to my Lutheran fiance. She and her family have been very active in the Lutheran Church back home throughout the years. She however understands how important my Catholicism has been in my life.

My question is this how difficult is it to obtain a dispensation from canonical form? How high is the bar set?

I have read the cannon law (section 1125 I think) and it talks about family harmony and if the other spouses family is anti-catholic that would constitute a reasonable cause for a dispensation. However I have trouble calling her family anti-Catholic - I just think that we all would greatly prefer a more ecumenical solution than picking one or the other.

We have been in touch with a seperate protestant minister who has vast experience in ecumenical affairs, and my fiance and I feel very comfortable that by going through a middle path we can honor both of our families traditions and with the dispensation the marriage will still be valid.

I can assure you that I have no intentions of leaving the faith and my future spouse understands the commitments that I must to the best of my ability teach our children the Catholic faith.

Who do I go to first to start the process of obtaining an dispensation, my local pastor or the diocese?

 

[Devon_Caffran]

These links should be helpful in better understanding dispensations from Canonical form. If you have any further questions or concerns that are not answered by these links, please contact Catholic Answers directly.

Recommended Reading:
If a Catholic marries in a Protestant church, is it valid in the eyes of the Church? Marriage between Catholic and Protestant