Marriage Question

[Big_Feet]

A friend of mine is Catholic. She marries an un-baptized man in a Catholic Church.
Is this marriage considered a sacramental marriage, or merely a natural marriage?

Now, assume the man, years down the road, is baptized and confirmed in the Catholic Church. If their marriage was initially only “natural,” do they have to now need to get their marriage con-validated within the church to make it a sacramental union?

 

[A_G]

I believe it is a sacramental marriage for the Catholic person, as long as both members attend the Pre-Cana program, and they get married in a Catholic Church.

If the non-Catholic person gets baptized and becomes Catholic somewhere in the future, then I believe that person automatically receives the Marriage Sacrament.

 

[Big_Feet]

I believe it is a sacramental marriage for the Catholic person, as long as both members attend the Pre-Cana program, and they get married in a Catholic Church.

If the non-Catholic person gets baptized and becomes Catholic somewhere in the future, then I believe that person automatically receives the Marriage Sacrament.

I am curious, then, how does only one within the marriage recieve the sacrament?
They both did go through the pre-canna classes, and were married in and through the Catholic Church.

 

[Corki]

A friend of mine is Catholic. She marries an un-baptized man in a Catholic Church.
Is this marriage considered a sacramental marriage, or merely a natural marriage?

Now, assume the man, years down the road, is baptized and confirmed in the Catholic Church. If their marriage was initially only “natural,” do they have to now need to get their marriage con-validated within the church to make it a sacramental union?

A marriage can only be Sacramental if both parties are baptized so theirs would be a natural marriage.

If the husband was baptized later (either as a Catholic or a non-Catholic Christian) their marriage would become Sacramental at that point, no further action required.

 

[1ke]

A friend of mine is Catholic. She marries an un-baptized man in a Catholic Church.
Is this marriage considered a sacramental marriage, or merely a natural marriage?

It is a valid, natural marriage.

Now, assume the man, years down the road, is baptized and confirmed in the Catholic Church. If their marriage was initially only “natural,” do they have to now need to get their marriage con-validated within the church to make it a sacramental union?

The marriage becomes a sacrament upon the baptism of the unbaptized spouse.

Convalidation makes an invalid marriage valid through the exchange of consent. The marriage is valid, therefore convalidation does not apply.

 

[1ke]

I believe it is a sacramental marriage for the Catholic person, as long as both members attend the Pre-Cana program, and they get married in a Catholic Church.

This is not correct.

A marriage is either sacramental or it’s not. Between the unbaptized or when one party is unbaptized it is a natural marriage. Between two baptized individuals, it is a sacrament.

 

[A_G]

This is not correct.

A marriage is either sacramental or it’s not. Between the unbaptized or when one party is unbaptized it is a natural marriage. Between two baptized individuals, it is a sacrament.

sorry I wasn’t sure… thanks

 

[A_G]

I am curious, then, how does only one within the marriage recieve the sacrament?
They both did go through the pre-canna classes, and were married in and through the Catholic Church.

I made an error when I said one person recieves the Sacrament of Marriage while the other does not in the case where one party is unbaptized. In cases where one person is Catholic and the other is not, this is called “natural” marriage or “mixed-marriage.” The Church does allow these marriages and if in the future the other spouse becomes a Catholic, then the marriage is Sacramental.

About Pre-Cana classes, yes, they still must go though Pre-Cana. They offer different classes. I got married a few months back and me and my wife are both Catholics. Our requirement was to take the class where both parties are Catholics. For situations where one is Catholic and the other is not, there is a Pre-Cana class for that also. There is also a Pre-Cana class for remarriage, if that is your situation. So the bottom line is, if you want to marry in a Catholic Church, you must satisfy your Pre-Cana requirement first. Which class you register for depends on your situation.

 

[Matthew_Holford]

A friend of mine is Catholic. She marries an un-baptized man in a Catholic Church.
Is this marriage considered a sacramental marriage, or merely a natural marriage?

No, for it to be sacrament both spouses must be baptised. Before your friend marries an unbaptised man she will need to get a dispensation from disparity of cult. Without this dispensation the marriage would be invalid.

Now, assume the man, years down the road, is baptized and confirmed in the Catholic Church. If their marriage was initially only “natural,” do they have to now need to get their marriage con-validated within the church to make it a sacramental union?

No, the fact that he was baptised would make the marriage a sacrament. A marriage only needs to be validated if there is an irregularity.

 

[puzzleannie]

A friend of mine is Catholic. She marries an un-baptized man in a Catholic Church.
Is this marriage considered a sacramental marriage, or merely a natural marriage?

?

it is a valid natural marriage. The moment he is baptized, it automatically becomes sacramental. no special action needs to be taken. Pre-Cana is not an absolute requirement for a valid marriage in the Catholic Church. What is required is their priest being assured that the conditions for a valid marriage are present, and the various marriage preparation programs used in parishes and dioceses are designed to give that assurance as much as possible. Pre Cana is only one of several such programs, and is only part of marriage preparation in any case.

 

[CollegeStudent3]

It’s a natural marriage. When my father and mother got married, my father was Catholic and my mother was Methodist. A year later she decided she wanted to know more about her husband’s faith and went to RCIA. In the end, she found truth in the religion and converted. I know later they did have another ceremony in the church, both of them receiving the Holy Eucharist.

 

[puzzleannie]

It’s a natural marriage. When my father and mother got married, my father was Catholic and my mother was Methodist. A year later she decided she wanted to know more about her husband’s faith and went to RCIA. In the end, she found truth in the religion and converted. I know later they did have another ceremony in the church, both of them receiving the Holy Eucharist.

In this case, if the Methodist party was validly baptized, and they married according to the laws of the Catholic Church, it was both valid and sacramental from the beginning.

they may have renewed their vows, but they did not marry again (unless their marriage was not in accordance with Catholic laws in the first place, in which case the marriage was then convalidated).

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

I made an error when I said one person recieves the Sacrament of Marriage while the other does not in the case where one party is unbaptized. In cases where one person is Catholic and the other is not, this is called “natural” marriage or “mixed-marriage.” The Church does allow these marriages and if in the future the other spouse becomes a Catholic, then the marriage is Sacramental.

More accurately:

In cases where one person is baptized and the other is not, this is called “natural” marriage.The Church does allow these marriages and if in the future the other spouse becomes baptized, then the marriage is Sacramental.

 

[1ke]

I made an error when I said one person recieves the Sacrament of Marriage while the other does not in the case where one party is unbaptized. In cases where one person is Catholic and the other is not, this is called “natural” marriage or “mixed-marriage.” The Church does allow these marriages and if in the future the other spouse becomes a Catholic, then the marriage is Sacramental.

Almost, but not quite. The following is true of all marriages (presuming no impediments in the case on non-Catholics and proper church law procedures followed in the case of Catholics):

• Baptized + Baptized = valid, sacrament
• Baptized + Unbaptized = valid, natural
• Unbaptized + Unbaptized = valid and natural
• Catholic + Catholic = valid, sacrament
• Catholic + Baptized = valid, sacrament, mixed marriage
• Catholic + Unbaptized = valid, natural, disparity of cult

 

[CollegeStudent3]

In this case, if the Methodist party was validly baptized, and they married according to the laws of the Catholic Church, it was both valid and sacramental from the beginning.

they may have renewed their vows, but they did not marry again (unless their marriage was not in accordance with Catholic laws in the first place, in which case the marriage was then convalidated).

I’ll have to ask my mother why they had at Marriage ceremony. I know her religious experience prior to converting to Catholicism was quite small. There is a high change that she was not even baptized. I’ll have to ask. Thank you for clarifying.

 

[joanofarc2008]

I’ll have to ask my mother why they had at Marriage ceremony. I know her religious experience prior to converting to Catholicism was quite small. There is a high change that she was not even baptized. I’ll have to ask. Thank you for clarifying.

I wouldn’t bring that up. It is possible that they were married outside of the Church which meant in order for either of them to receive Sacraments the marriage had to be convalidated.

 

[CollegeStudent3]

I wouldn’t bring that up. It is possible that they were married outside of the Church which meant in order for either of them to receive Sacraments the marriage had to be convalidated.

My parents are very open about these subjects, even if they are sticky. I know plenty of shady family stories, even those which have included my parents.

My mother’s father was a theist and not very religious. Her mother classified herself as a Methodist but they did not attend church or really follow church teachings. There;s a good chance my mother wasn’t baptized, she wasn’t brought up in a particularly religious household. I’ve seen their wedding pictures of both wedding ceremonies. My mom is wearing two different dresses but the same tabernacle and stained glass in the background.

Even if there was some scandal, my parents are not one to pretend things didn’t happen.

 

[joanofarc2008]

My parents are very open about these subjects, even if they are sticky. I know plenty of shady family stories, even those which have included my parents.

My mother’s father was a theist and not very religious. Her mother classified herself as a Methodist but they did not attend church or really follow church teachings. There;s a good chance my mother wasn’t baptized, she wasn’t brought up in a particularly religious household. I’ve seen their wedding pictures of both wedding ceremonies. My mom is wearing two different dresses but the same tabernacle and stained glass in the background.

Even if there was some scandal, my parents are not one to pretend things didn’t happen.

OK just wanted to warn you so there was no pain involved. Some parents are very open and some don’t want to have to explain things to their children. God bless.

 

[CollegeStudent3]

OK just wanted to warn you so there was no pain involved. Some parents are very open and some don’t want to have to explain things to their children. God bless.

Thanks for the warning and best intentions.