Valid marriage?

[Flexdude]

Hi all,

Some old Catholic friends of ours just had their oldest daughter get married. Here are the details as I heard them. The groom has never been baptized and has never been married. The bride was married once but the marriage was annulled by the Church. They were married in a Catholic church by a priest but it was not a Mass - only the wedding ceremony.

Is this a valid marriage in the eyes of the Church? Seems like there was certainly a violation of form on the priest’s part.

 

[KatieD]

I believe that if a decree of nullity was issued for her first marriage, she can marry in the Church. I think that a Catholic can marry an unbaptized person with the right dispensation. Someone else out there may be more of an expert.

 

[Kielbasi]

Since they got married by a priest in church, I think you have to assume that the appropriate dispensation was obtained.

Certainly looks like a valid marriage.

 

[Tweety]

If their first marriage was annulled by the Church - then yes they may marry in the Church. When my husband and i got married in the Church in 2002 - they had no problem with him being a non-believer/unbaptized as he agreed to everything that our beloved Priest asked of him. Thanks be to God!

 

[rayne89]

You do not have to have a Mass in order to have a Catholic wedding. If a large portion of the guests are non-Catholic/fallen away Catholics it may even be prudent not to in order to prevent people partaking in the Eucharist that shouldn’t be.

From what you’ve stated it seems like a valid marriage to me.

 

[Anne1964]

Marriage between a Catholic and a non-baptized person is valid, but not sacramental. A dispensation is required to marry a non-baptized person.

When my husband, who’s Jewish, and I married in the Church we also just had the wedding ceremony and no Mass.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Hi all,

Some old Catholic friends of ours just had their oldest daughter get married. Here are the details as I heard them. The groom has never been baptized and has never been married. The bride was married once but the marriage was annulled by the Church. They were married in a Catholic church by a priest but it was not a Mass - only the wedding ceremony.

Is this a valid marriage in the eyes of the Church? Seems like there was certainly a violation of form on the priest’s part.

That would be the recomended Form for a non-Sacramental Marriage.

 

[puzzleannie]

Hi all,

Some old Catholic friends of ours just had their oldest daughter get married. Here are the details as I heard them. The groom has never been baptized and has never been married. The bride was married once but the marriage was annulled by the Church. They were married in a Catholic church by a priest but it was not a Mass - only the wedding ceremony.

Is this a valid marriage in the eyes of the Church? Seems like there was certainly a violation of form on the priest’s part.

why are you concerned? Unless you know for a fact, and it is not likely since these are friends, not relatives, that the bride has not received a dispensation to marry a non-Christian, what is the problem? If they were married by a priest in Church you may assume the proper dispensation and marriage preparation has been done. In fact, in Christian charity, you are obliged to assume so. There is no requirement that vows be exchanged in the context of a Mass, in fact, it is very much preferred that when a Catholic marries a non-Catholic it be done outside Mass, to avoid the awkwardness of excluding one spouse and half the guests from communion.

 

[stbruno]

Whenever there is a mixed marriage…marriage to a Christian of a different denomination, or from a non-Christian faith, like Jewish, Muslim, Hindu etc…
This is the recommended way to perform the marriage.
Mixed marriages ordinarily follow The Rite for Celebrating Marriage Outside Mass. The Eucharist is a symbol of unity, and celebrating a Christian marriage at Mass may make the celebration awkward for both parties by highlighting their differences in faith. If circumstances justify it and the non-Catholic party agrees to their having a Mass, The Rite for Celebrating Marriage within Mass may be used. However, it must be stressed that should there be a Mass, directives of The Ecumenical Directory (159/160) and the Code of Canon Law (Canon 844) concerning reception of the Eucharist are to be observed. Couples should consult with their priest about this delicate matter.

Whenever there is a non-Christian spouse, the minister will completeto a dispensation form known as a disparity of cult form in their marriage file for it to be a valid marriage.