Is a Catholic who married a non-Catholic and has had a convalidation required to attend weekly mass and raise children in the Catholic church?

[lhahnslu]

Hello,

My brother was raised and confirmed Catholic. He is marred to a Lutheran and their marriage (held in a Lutheran church) was blessed and convalidated by a priest and witnesses a week later. They are now attending a non-Catholic church weekly and not planning on raising future children Catholic.

As a confirmed catholic with a convalidated marriage, is he called to be attending weekly mass (even if it is by himself). Has he made the promise to raise children in the catholic church or just as christians?

Thank you!

 

[Fr.Charles_Grondin]

Catholics are always required to attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation. Being married to a non-Catholic does not abrogate that requirement.

In order for a Catholic to marry a non-Catholic, the Catholic party must promise to do their best to raise the children of the marriage as Catholics. When your brother prepared for the convalidation of his marriage he made that promise.

Code of Canon Law:

Can. 1247 On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are obliged to participate in the Mass…

Can. 1125 The local ordinary can grant a permission [for a marriage between a Catholic and a non-Catholic] if there is a just and reasonable cause. He is not to grant it unless the following conditions have been fulfilled:

1/ the Catholic party is to declare that he or she is prepared to remove dangers of defecting from the faith and is to make a sincere promise to do all in his or her power so that all offspring are baptized and brought up in the Catholic Church…