Wedding-Non Catholic

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timothy_bauer

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To all:

I have a friend who for most of life did not have a formal church
went to. She was blessed and became a baptized Catholic about 5 years ago and faithfully practices the faith by being in-
volved in the Church. She is engaged now to be married. There
is a good chance she will marry outside the church. Her boy-
friend is not a practicing Christian. What is my duty in this case
when invited to the wedding. My friend who also was married
and divorced before would be entering into what the Church I
believe is not a recognized marriage. And is my understanding
she could not longer receive communion either. I am concerned
that would be alienating her if not going, but if go-would be
sanctioning the marriage.

Confused in Reno
 
It is your duty to not attend the wedding and to tell your friend that what she is doing is wrong. You have to choose Jesus and his Church.

A Catholic is required by Canon Law to get married in the Catholic Church. If she does not, her marriage is invalid. She is commtting a mortal sin. She will walk into her marriage ceremony a single woman and come out of her ceromony a single woman.

By attending her wedding you are giving consent to her sin, fornication, co-habitation, and apostasy from the faith.

By not attending the ceremony she might reflect on her dangerous error. You witness might save her immortal soul. Your Catholic faith forbids your attendace on this invalid marriage.
 
Sounds like there couldn’t be a wedding in the Catholic Church until she obtains an annulment (decree of nullity) of her first marriage.:confused:
 
I would suggest that you, as charitably as possible, talk to her about how she should handle this. As suggested previously, she needs to talk to her pastor and get the previous marriage situation resolved before seeking “marriage” with this new person.

If they choose to not get married in the Catholic Church, if he is a baptised Christian, she can get a dispensation to be married in his church. If he is not a baptised Christian, I don’t think she could get a dispensation to marry in any kind of civil ceremony or anything else.

She needs to understand the gravity of what she seems to be headed toward and get herself aright.
 
timothy_bauer said:
To all:

I have a friend who for most of life did not have a formal church
went to. She was blessed and became a baptized Catholic about 5 years ago and faithfully practices the faith by being in-
volved in the Church. She is engaged now to be married. There
is a good chance she will marry outside the church. Her boy-
friend is not a practicing Christian. What is my duty in this case
when invited to the wedding. My friend who also was married
and divorced before would be entering into what the Church I
believe is not a recognized marriage. And is my understanding
she could not longer receive communion either. I am concerned
that would be alienating her if not going, but if go-would be
sanctioning the marriage.

Confused in Reno
Click to expand...
“She was blessed and became a baptized Catholic about 5 years ago and faithfully practices the faith by being in-
volved in the Church. She is engaged now to be married. There
is a good chance she will marry outside the church.”

If she is considering entering into an invalid Marriage, then she does not practice the Catholic faith as faithfully as you think. The RCIA process I would guess did not cover as well as it should have the Sacrament of Marriage in the Catholic understanding, and the requirements of Catholics in regards to Marriage preparation and Sacramental celebration.

“What is my duty in this case when invited to the wedding. My friend who also was married and divorced before would be entering into what the Church I believe is not a recognized marriage. And is my understanding she could not longer receive communion either.”

I would suggest that you speak with her RCIA Sponsor if you know who that is. You should explain to her that she cannot as a Catholic enter into another Marriage until she has completed the Annulment process, and must follow the Laws of the Church regarding any possible new Marriage.
 
timothy bauer;:
She is engaged now to be married. … My friend who also was married and divorced
Click to expand...
Tactfully ask your friend if:
  • The first wedding has been nulled;
  • They have obtained a grant of dispensation from canonical form, for this marriage;
And go from there.

xan

jonathon
 
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