Marriage Question

[Lost_Sheep]

This is entirely a hypothetical situation. It’s not about me or my friends or anyone else.

Person A is a devout practicing Catholic.

Person B was baptized Catholic as an infant, but left the Church as a child when his/her parents did the same.

Person B does not want to return to the Church.

Person A respects Person B’s decision not to return to the Church.

Person A and Person B want to get married. (Male and Female, of course)

Person A wants to do so and stay in the good graces of the Church.

Is it possible for this marriage to be sanctioned by the Church?

 

[1ke]

Can.* 1071 §1. Except in a case of necessity, a person is not to assist without the permission of the local ordinary at:

4/ a marriage of a person who has notoriously rejected the Catholic faith;

§2. The local ordinary is not to grant permission to assist at the marriage of a person who has notoriously rejected the Catholic faith unless the norms mentioned in ⇒ can. 1125 have been observed with necessary adaptation.

Can.* 1125 The local ordinary can grant a permission of this kind 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;

2/ the other party is to be informed at an appropriate time about the promises which the Catholic party is to make, in such a way that it is certain that he or she is truly aware of the promise and obligation of the Catholic party;

3/ both parties are to be instructed about the purposes and essential properties of marriage which neither of the contracting parties is to exclude.

 

[Lost_Sheep]

Can.* 1071 §1. Except in a case of necessity, a person is not to assist without the permission of the local ordinary at:

4/ a marriage of a person who has notoriously rejected the Catholic faith;

§2. The local ordinary is not to grant permission to assist at the marriage of a person who has notoriously rejected the Catholic faith unless the norms mentioned in ⇒ can. 1125 have been observed with necessary adaptation.

Can.* 1125 The local ordinary can grant a permission of this kind 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;

2/ the other party is to be informed at an appropriate time about the promises which the Catholic party is to make, in such a way that it is certain that he or she is truly aware of the promise and obligation of the Catholic party;

3/ both parties are to be instructed about the purposes and essential properties of marriage which neither of the contracting parties is to exclude.

Uh, is that a Yes or a No?

 

[maryjk]

Uh, is that a Yes or a No?

Good question.

The answer from the Canon, says no. Unless there is good reason. It doesn’t tell you what a good reason might be.

So the clearer answer would be: it depends, but probably yes, they can be married.

 

[1ke]

Uh, is that a Yes or a No?

Yes it can be done with the permission of the local ordinary (i.e. the bishop). It is treated as a mixed marriage, canonically, and therefore the requirements of Canon 1125 must be met in order for the bishop to grant permission-- which means there is agreement that children will be raised Catholic and the practicing Catholic provides evidence they are not in danger of defecting from the faith or have no impediment to the free excercise of their faith. The couple must complete Catholic premarital preparation and be married in Catholic form.