Options for a Catholic Marrying a Baptized-Atheist?

[searcher15]

I’m looking for answers on what it would be like for my boyfriend (baptized as Christian Reform, now an atheists) and I to have a valid Catholic marriage. I know there is an option for a ceremony without the mass, but are they’re other options for a valid Catholic wedding that could happen outside of a Catholic church? I’ve heard of getting a petition for a dispensation but can’t find much about that other than it exists.

 

[Fr.Charles_Grondin]

If he is validly baptized (which it appears he would be) it would be considered a mixed marriage (baptized Catholic & baptized non-Catholic) and would be a sacrament. Essentially you would be required to promise that you will remain a Catholic and will do all in your power to raise any children of the marriage as Catholics. He would then be made aware of your promises.

Dispensation from form usually is granted to permit a wedding in a non-Catholic worship setting (e.g. a Protestant church or Jewish synagogue). Dispensation from place is usually granted for a Catholic wedding to be in an appropriate neutral location (e.g. hotel chapel) if the finance of a Catholic is not baptized at all and a Catholic setting would be problematic for the non-Catholic’s family (e.g. a Hindu family), but in this scenario there is still Catholic clergy performing the wedding.

In your set of particular circumstances you can try to apply for a dispensation from place and have a priest marry you in an appropriate neutral location however that comes down to a judgment call by the Bishop’s office. I think your best option would be to simply have the wedding in your local Catholic parish without a Mass.

God bless!