The Sacrament of Matrimony

[Vico]

I’m going with your first answer Dan, since my mind is getting boggled by the whole thing. I’ll have to take one step at a time and worry about the finer points later. As long as I can function practically as a Catholic, that’s okay for now.

Unless that just opened up something else that is all complicated . . .

The actual difference in terms of Catholic living is that the Catholic’s faith will be eroded or even lost (or that of children), so for that reason the canon law requires permission for a Catholic to marry a non-Catholic Christian and a dispensation to marry a non-Christian. There are specific promises made:

There is the promise by the Catholic party must declare that he is prepared to remove dangers of defecting from the Catholic faith (c. 1125 n. 1).

There is a promise sincerely to do all in his power to ensure that any children of the marriage will be baptized and raised in the Catholic faith (c. 1125 n. 1).

The non-Catholic is to be informed of the promises made by the Catholic party to the marriage (c. 1125 n. 2).

If the Catholic freely and willingly agrees to have his children baptized and raised in a non-Catholic religion then the Catholic is to be punished with a censure or other just penalty canon 1366 .

 

[jupiter2]

Vico, what would happen in my case where I’m not asking permission to marry, but I’ve already been married for 14 years? Since I’m becoming Catholic at this point, I don’t think that my faith would be eroded or lost if my wife does not wish to convert. I’m converting during the duration of the natural marriage. I intend to do all in my power to have my young son baptized and have him take Catechism. In fact, we plan to enroll him at a private Catholic school.

I need to get to the bottom of this, as I do not believe that I am in danger of defecting from the faith as a result of the marriage. Defecting as a result of other influences are a different matter. But is this all that complicated? I’m getting paranoid that the moment that I am confirmed I’ll be excommunicated or something for some whatever technicality being violated.

 

[1ke]

Vico, what would happen in my case where I’m not asking permission to marry, but I’ve already been married for 14 years? Since I’m becoming Catholic at this point, I don’t think that my faith would be eroded or lost if my wife does not wish to convert. I’m converting during the duration of the natural marriage. I intend to do all in my power to have my young son baptized and have him take Catechism. In fact, we plan to enroll him at a private Catholic school.

I need to get to the bottom of this, as I do not believe that I am in danger of defecting from the faith as a result of the marriage. Defecting as a result of other influences are a different matter. But is this all that complicated? I’m getting paranoid that the moment that I am confirmed I’ll be excommunicated or something for some whatever technicality being violated.

What happens is, nothing.

You are validly married.

 

[jupiter2]

Thank you 1ke. Let us please leave it at that. I wouldn’t have imagined I would’ve spent something like two days just to try to resolve this.

To all contributors - thank you for your (name removed by moderator)ut, and I do mean that. I’ve been learning a lot during the process.

I can see that I’m in for a real ride over the next year (target: Easter Vigil 2016).

 

[Vico]

Vico, what would happen in my case where I’m not asking permission to marry, but I’ve already been married for 14 years? Since I’m becoming Catholic at this point, I don’t think that my faith would be eroded or lost if my wife does not wish to convert. I’m converting during the duration of the natural marriage. I intend to do all in my power to have my young son baptized and have him take Catechism. In fact, we plan to enroll him at a private Catholic school.

I need to get to the bottom of this, as I do not believe that I am in danger of defecting from the faith as a result of the marriage. Defecting as a result of other influences are a different matter. But is this all that complicated? I’m getting paranoid that the moment that I am confirmed I’ll be excommunicated or something for some whatever technicality being violated.

You are at the bottom of it.

For a validly married Christian coming into full communion with the Catholic Church, or for a Catechumem, no dispensation from disparity of cult, nor permission for disparity of worship are required. (And canon 1125 does not apply, but it does illustrate the risk, which was why I posted it.)

 

[maryj]

My hope is that one of you that is knowledgeable will come back to this thread!! This is why I’ve always loved Catholic answers, such great minds!! Here’s the question…Baptized catholic marries baptized lutheran in a lutheran church without a dispensation. Couple is then divorced. Lutheran becomes catholic and then marries a baptized catholic in the catholic church…former lutheran, now catholic received a dispensation from the bishop to remarry siting that in the first marriage it would have been the catholics responsibility to proceed with an annulment. Is the second marriage valid? Holy cow…my mind is spinning just asking that question!! Any thoughts?

 

[Phemie]

My hope is that one of you that is knowledgeable will come back to this thread!! This is why I’ve always loved Catholic answers, such great minds!! Here’s the question…Baptized catholic marries baptized lutheran in a lutheran church without a dispensation.

Marriage not valid due to lack of canonical form. No annulment necessary though cases are usually submitted to the Tribunal for verification.

Couple is then divorced. Lutheran becomes Catholic and then marries a baptized catholic in the catholic church…former Lutheran, now Catholic received a dispensation from the bishop to remarry siting that in the first marriage it would have been the Catholic’s responsibility to proceed with an annulment. Is the second marriage valid?

I suspect that the former Lutheran, now Catholic, may have misunderstood the Bishop. If both were Catholic no dispensation was necessary for the second marriage. Had the first marriage been valid no dispensation exists for a second marriage.

In all likelihood, former Lutheran provided proof of the first marriage in the Lutheran Church, proof of divorce and proof that first spouse was Catholic. That showed former Lutheran’s freedom to marry due to lack of canonical form.

 

[maryj]

Phemie:
perfect explanation!! Thank you!