How does my marriage to a non-Catholic who isn't baptized stand in the Church?

[EmilyK]

Hi-
I’m a convert Catholic and after about 2 years in the Church, I’m sorry to say, I fell away. In the past 5 years since I’ve been away, I fell in love and got married to my husband in a Christian ceremony. He’s a Christian, but doesn’t really have any sort of foundation to his faith because he was never exposed to it growing up. Thus, he’s never been baptized. We’ve started back going to Mass and I really want to come back to the Church. He’s very supportive and goes to Church with me and has oberseved Lent with me. So my question is three fold-

1. How does our marriage stand in the Church based on the fact that he’s never been baptized?
2. How can I stress the importance of baptism to him if nothing else, though I would like for him to convert. We’ve agreed to raise our children Catholic.
3. We co-habitated for 2 years and had pre-marital sex. Do I need to confess this when I got to confession next week? This will be my 1st confession in 5 years and since we’ve been together.
   Thanks in advance for any advice you have to offer!

 

[Fr.Vincent_Serpa]

Hi,

Catholics are allowed to marry non-baptized persons. The marriage will be valid, but not a sacrament unless the person later becomes baptized. However, the Catholic Church does not consider your marriage to be valid because you did not marry under the authority of the Catholic Church. If neither of you have been previously married, it should be an easy matter to have your marriage blessed in the Catholic Church. Until then you may not receive the sacraments while having marital relations with a person the Church does not consider to be your husband.

The Catholic Church is not in favor of putting pressure on people to become Catholic. They must do this freely.

Yes, you do need to confess all sexual activity that has preceded having your marriage blessed.

If you live as brother and sister until your marriage is blessed, you may go to Confession and receive Holy Communion. You are in our prayers.

Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.