Interfaith Clergy of Newark

[ChrisC]

I have a Catholic friend that is marrying Jewish man. They are arranging their wedding with the Interfaith Clergy of Newark.

Does anyone know anything about or have any experience with the Interfaith Clergy? It doesn’t sound very Catholic to me although there is a Catholic priest(s) supposedly involved with the organization. I’m concerned.

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[Matthew_Holford]

I have a Catholic friend that is marrying Jewish man. They are arranging their wedding with the Interfaith Clergy of Newark.

Does anyone know anything about or have any experience with the Interfaith Clergy? It doesn’t sound very Catholic to me although there is a Catholic priest(s) supposedly involved with the organization. I’m concerned.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Catholics must marry according to canonical form: in a Catholic church; Catholic liturgy; witness approved by the Church, usually a priest or deacon. To marry otherwise they need to apply for a dispensation from canonical form.

 

[Spirithound]

I have a Catholic friend that is marrying Jewish man. They are arranging their wedding with the Interfaith Clergy of Newark.

Does anyone know anything about or have any experience with the Interfaith Clergy? It doesn’t sound very Catholic to me although there is a Catholic priest(s) supposedly involved with the organization. I’m concerned.

A Catholic priest can only witness a wedding if he has the proper faculties in his diocese. I would strongly suspect that a priest involved with “Interfaith Clergy” does not have that faculty, and would result in an invalid marriage. Do they have a website? Have you checked it out and cross-referenced with the local diocese’s website?

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

Catholics must marry according to canonical form: in a Catholic church; Catholic liturgy; witness approved by the Church, usually a priest or deacon. To marry otherwise they need to apply for a dispensation from canonical form.

I believe this case would also require a Disparity of Cult dispensation for the marriage to be valid.

 

[EasterJoy]

If the organization exists so that local denominations have a means of communicating the expectations of each concerning interfaith marriage, and the bishop is on board with it, great. If it is a version of Rent-a-Priest, run. It the priests do not have faculties in the diocese, it is illicit. Since these organizations are loose as to how they define a “real priest” (that is, they would represent a man ordained by a “female bishop” as being validly ordained), the chances are that it is invalid as well.

 

[ConstantineTG]

I believe this case would also require a Disparity of Cult dispensation for the marriage to be valid.

I second this. Dispensation is only for those marrying a Christian. Marrying a non-Christian requires a disparity of cult. This means the marriage is non-Sacramental, but otherwise valid.

 

[Matthew_Holford]

I believe this case would also require a Disparity of Cult dispensation for the marriage to be valid.

I second this. Dispensation is only for those marrying a Christian. Marrying a non-Christian requires a disparity of cult. This means the marriage is non-Sacramental, but otherwise valid.

If a Catholic wished to marry a Jew they would obviously require dispensation from the impediment of the disparity of cult. As one of the spouses would not be baptised, of course, the marriage would not be sacramental. The Catholic would still be bound by canonical form. To marry otherwise the Catholic requires a dispensation.