How does a Protestant marry a Catholic?

[lollipoplady]

I am in the beginning stages of planning a wedding. I’m currently a Protestant, looking into eventually becoming Catholic, and my husband-to-be is Catholic. If we get married in a Protestant service and have it blessed by the Catholic church, will it still be legit in the eyes of the Catholic Church if and when I become a Catholic? Also, in order for my husband-to-be to still be able to participate in Communion, our marriage will have to be blessed, won’t it?

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

The first thing for you and your fiance to do is to meet with your fiance’s Catholic pastor and explain to him your marriage plans. Your fiance will need a dispensation to marry a non-Catholic and, if the marriage takes place in a Protestant church, a dispensation from the Catholic form of marriage. If he does this, the marriage will be considered both valid and sacramental and he will be able to continue to receive Communion.

If you’re thinking of becoming a Catholic though, I urge you to consider the possibility of marrying in a Catholic church. The dispensation from the Catholic form of marriage is intended to accommodate those Catholics marrying non-Catholics who are unable in conscience to be married in a Catholic ceremony in a Catholic church. As you are considering becoming Catholic, this doesn’t appear to apply to you. If it is the issue of Communion during a nuptial Mass that concerns you, you and your fiance can avoid that issue by having a nuptial liturgy outside of Mass. (The wedding ceremony takes place in a Catholic church but does not include the Liturgy of the Eucharist.)