What’s the process? I recently heard that a dispensation by the bishop is required. Also, the marriage will be considered valid, but not as a sacrament? Any thoughts?
Step 1: Approach your priest for sacramental preparation. There will be premarital counseling and paperwork/investigation of freedom to marry required no matter what religious affiliation (or lack of) the other party has. It’s required of all Catholics.
The format for premarital preparation varies by diocese, so it is best to speak to the priest regarding the requirements applicable to you. Also, in the premarital investigation, the Catholic will be asked questions regarding the practice of their religion in the marriage, the raising of children as Catholics, etc, and there will be promises the Catholic party must make. The non-Catholic must be informed of the promises.
Regarding dipsensations and permissions, sacramentality, etc, this is where it depends upon whether or not the other party is baptized or not, and into what ecclesial community he/she was baptized.
(1) If the agnostic is unbaptized, the Catholic requires a dispensation from disparity of cult in order to marry. They would additionally need a dispensation from canonical form if they wanted to marry somewhere other than in a Catholic church.
(2) If the agnostic was baptized in a non-Catholic denomination at some point in their life, the Catholic requires permission for a mixed marriage and also a dispensation from canonical form to marry in other than a Catholic church.
(3) If the agnostic was baptized as a Catholic, they are considered a Catholic by the Church (unless they have formally defected… which I highly doubt as most people don’t even know there’s a procedure to do so). So, in that case, there’s no dispensation needed however you would be required to be married in the Catholic form.
Also, the agnostic must intend a lifelong, exclusive marriage, and be open to children in the marriage.
If the Catholic marries according to Catholic canon law, and with all the proper procedures, then they will have a valid marriage. If the agnostic is unbaptized, the marriage is called a natural marriage. If the agnostic was baptized, even though currently not practicing/believing, then the marriage is a Sacrament by its nature. Marriage between the baptized is always a Sacrament.
PS I’m not inquiring here about the nature of mixed marriage between Christians and a non-Christians, or whether or not it could possibly be God’s will. I have already done a considerable amount of discernment in that area. This is more a question on the particulars of the actual process of a mixed marriage (between a Catholic and an agnostic) in the Church, and how it’s different from the preparation for a traditional Catholic marriage. Thanks a lot and God bless!
Well Moe, you may not want to hear it, but of course you came to a Catholic website and so of course if we did not point out that this is extremely perious we would be remiss.
Catholic-agnostic marriage may “work” but at what price? How will children be raised? Religion is more than going to Mass on Sundays, with children it is how you live that religion in the home, how they see faith modeled by their parents, and how they are taught by their parents. A Catholic marrying a non-Catholic is perilous enough, but an unbeliever-- that is a serious thing and your own soul and those of your future children must be considered.
If you haven’t talked to a priest about what you are contemplating, you need to do so **before **you move into premarital preparation.
In any case, things are much clearer now, so I appreciate it.