Validity of marriage

[Littileboy]

Please give me some advice. My mother was a non-baptized but she intended to convert to Catholicism to marry my father, a Catholic. She had to go to classes to prepare for marriage and baptism. But when the classes ended, it was December and she had to wait for a couple months to marry. She organized a wedding party in the restaurant during that time. When the waiting time ended, the priest let my parents marry. But the problem is, my mother hasn’t been baptized although she still goes to church regularly to this day and believes in God. Was that marriage valid? What should we do? I really need some advice.

 

[PaulfromIowa]

I don’t see any reason to suspect that your parents’ marriage is not valid. If your mother has a Catholic faith, she should be baptized and confirmed. She should speak to her pastor about this.

 

[mVitus]

If the marriage of a non-Catholic to a Catholic is valid, then the marriage of an intending-to-be-Catholic to a Catholic is valid.

 

[Littileboy]

You mean that my mother didn’t need to be baptized to have a valid marriage in the church?

 

[Phemie]

You mean that my mother didn’t need to be baptized to have a valid marriage in the church?

No, of course she didn’t need to be baptized. A valid marriage occurred as long as a dispensation was granted and you simply have to assume that no priest would make the mistake of witnessing the marriage of a Catholic to a non-baptized person without obtaining the proper dispensation.

What your parents have is a valid “natural” marriage, as opposed to a “sacramental” marriage. Both have to be baptized for a sacramental marriage.

 

[1ke]

Please give me some advice. My mother was a non-baptized but she intended to convert to Catholicism to marry my father, a Catholic. She had to go to classes to prepare for marriage and baptism. But when the classes ended, it was December and she had to wait for a couple months to marry. She organized a wedding party in the restaurant during that time. When the waiting time ended, the priest let my parents marry. But the problem is, my mother hasn’t been baptized although she still goes to church regularly to this day and believes in God. Was that marriage valid? What should we do? I really need some advice.

There is no “we”.

What your mother does is approach her Catholic pastor to discuss her baptismal status, her marriage, and anything else that is troubling her.

 

[Littileboy]

There is no “we”.

What your mother does is approach her Catholic pastor to discuss her baptismal status, her marriage, and anything else that is troubling her.

I said ‘‘we’’ because I don’t want to ask, ‘’ What should she do?’’ It’s kinda awkward to ask like that.