Marrying in the Church

  • Thread starter Thread starter alliekat
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
A

alliekat

Guest
My fiance and I are both young Catholics with a three month old son. We would really love to get married in the Church. Would the Church marry us even though we have a son? My fiance is also in the navy so we were going to get married by the state before he leaves. Once he is out we want to have a Church wedding. Where does the Church stand with civil marraiges and couples with children? Can we still recieve the sacrament of marriage?
 
My fiance and I are both young Catholics with a three month old son. We would really love to get married in the Church. Would the Church marry us even though we have a son? My fiance is also in the navy so we were going to get married by the state before he leaves. Once he is out we want to have a Church wedding. Where does the Church stand with civil marraiges and couples with children? Can we still recieve the sacrament of marriage?
yes you can be married in the Church, and the bishops have directed pastors to do everything in their power to facilitate this when there are minor children to consider, or in case such a pending military deployment. But you need to make an appointment with your priest NOW to begin this discussion. your marriage preparation will include attention to your specific circumstances and problems that might arise from them–having a child, living together, being a military family and so forth. You can also at the same time, even before your marriage, have your child baptized if you can show evidence you attend to raise him Catholic. Preparing for Catholic marriage would certainly demonstrate that intention.

In certain circumstances, depending on time, place, civil law and other factors, yes the priest could approve a civil marriage before your husband’s deployment if it were necessary to protect the child’s interests and yours, and a marriage convalidation could be done in the Church when he returns. You have to discuss your individual situation with a priest because you need pastoral care, including the issue of when you may engage in marital relations and conduct yourselves as husband and wife.

God bless you, you can do this, hundreds of couples bring these situations to the Church for her maternal care every day.
 
I would recommend speaking with a priest before you get a civil marriage. Attempting marriage outside of the Catholic Church is a sin for a Catholic.
 
I believe that if you have a civil marriage prior to marriage in the Church that you will not be able to have a Catholic nuptial mass wedding but a convalidation instead. Please find out from a priest. You only get one marriage certificate so it will not be signed by the priest or deacon if it is already signed by a justice of the peace.
 
I believe that if you have a civil marriage prior to marriage in the Church that you will not be able to have a Catholic nuptial mass wedding but a convalidation instead. Please find out from a priest. You only get one marriage certificate so it will not be signed by the priest or deacon if it is already signed by a justice of the peace.
Yes they can have a nuptial Mass, after all, that’s what a convalidation is, a Church wedding.

We usually issue certificates that mention both the Church and the State but they could certainly receive a Marriage Certificate that, like other certificates issued by the Church, states that they have received “the Sacrament of Marriage” on such and such a day with no mention of the legal marriage. It couldn’t be used for legal purposes but then neither can the certificate of First Communion nor, in most cases, can the certificate of Baptism.
 
Yes they can have a nuptial Mass, after all, that’s what a convalidation is, a Church wedding. …
Than you for that. I was thinking that some pastors may not support a convalidation during mass with bridesmaids and procession, because it would make others aware that the couple was married outside the church and could be a scandal.
 
In our diocese will not allow a marriage to be convalidated until at least a year after a civil marriage.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top