May a Catholic marry a Baptist in a Baptist Church?

[merle]

My brother, who is Catholic, is getting married to a Baptist girl soon. They are getting married by her grandfather in the Baptist Church. What do they need to do to make the marriage valid in the Catholic faith?

Thanks!

 

[Jim_Blackburn]

You brother will need to get two dispensations – one to marry a non-Catholic and the other to marry outside the Church. To be granted the dispensation to marry a non-Catholic, canon law (1125) requires the following:

1. That he declare that he is prepared to remove dangers of defecting from the faith;
2. That he make a sincere promise to do all in his power so that all offspring are baptized and brought up in the Catholic Church;
3. That his bride-to-be is informed at an appropriate time about the promises which he is to make, in such a way that it is certain that she is truly aware of his promises and obligation;
4. Both parties are to be instructed about the purposes and essential properties of marriage which neither of the contracting parties is to exclude.

I recommend that your brother contact his priest at least 6 months prior to the wedding date.