A somewhat hostile non-Catholic coworker asked me why her daughter, also not Catholic, needs proof of her Baptism to marry a Catholic. I didn’t have the answer and would love to be able to fill her in. Thanks.
There are two kinds of marriages that require two kinds of paper work.
A sacramental marriage is between two validly baptized persons. A natural marriage is between either a baptized person and an unbaptized person or between two unbaptized persons.
If a Catholic is marrying a validly baptized non-Catholic then the Church has one set of procedures. If a Catholic is marrying an unbaptized person the Church has a different set of procedures.
What kinds of issues will be faced within the marriage also depends on the circumstances of the couple. Knowing the couple’s situation helps the Church tailor the marriage preparation for the couple.
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