Grace Thompson
The Catholic Church recognizes marriages between Catholics and non-Catholics, but these are not considered sacramental and are only tolerated, not encouraged. If a Catholic wants to marry a non-Catholic Christian, they must seek permission from their local bishop, which is called a permission to enter into a mixed marriage. If the non-Catholic is a non-Christian, the permission is called a dispensation from disparity of cult. The Catholic must also declare that they are prepared to remove dangers of defecting from the faith and make a sincere promise to do all in their power so that all offspring are baptized and brought up in the Catholic Church.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of marriage | Mixed religion marriage if both are baptised Christians; disparity of cult marriage if one is unbaptised |
| Permission required | Yes, from the bishop or competent authority |
| Type of permission | Dispensation for disparity of cult if marrying a non-Christian; permission to enter into a mixed marriage if marrying a non-Catholic Christian |
| Location | Catholic church or non-Catholic church with permission |
| Officiating witness | Catholic priest or deacon; non-Catholic minister with permission |
| Ritual | Catholic ritual unless special permission is given for a different ritual |
| Divorce | Not permitted |
| Contraception | Not permitted |
| Raising children | Children must be raised Catholic |
| Validity | Marriage is invalid without permission |
| Sacrament | Marriage is non-sacramental |
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What You'll Learn
Marrying a non-Catholic Christian vs. a non-Christian
The Catholic Church recognizes marriages between a Catholic and a non-Catholic Christian, as well as marriages between a Catholic and a non-Christian. However, there are important distinctions to be made between the two scenarios.
Marrying a Non-Catholic Christian
When a Catholic marries a non-Catholic Christian, the marriage is considered sacramental by the Catholic Church. This type of marriage is technically called a "mixed religion marriage" and requires permission from the diocesan bishop, termed "permission to enter into a mixed marriage". The conditions for obtaining this permission include:
- Declaring that the Catholic party is prepared to remove dangers of defecting from the faith.
- Making a sincere promise to do everything possible to ensure that all offspring are baptized and raised in the Catholic Church.
- Informing the non-Catholic party about these promises at an appropriate time.
- Instructing both parties about the purposes and essential properties of marriage.
The wedding ceremony can be held in a Catholic church or a non-Catholic church, but permission from the bishop is required for the marriage to be recognized by the Catholic Church. The ceremony can be officiated by a Catholic priest or a non-Catholic minister, depending on the location.
Marrying a Non-Christian
When a Catholic marries a non-Christian, the marriage is not considered sacramental by the Catholic Church, as sacraments can only be received by baptized individuals. This type of marriage is called a "disparity of cult marriage" and requires a dispensation from the bishop, known as a "dispensation from disparity of cult". The wedding ceremony can be held in a Catholic church or a non-Catholic church with the permission of the bishop. If the wedding is held in a Catholic church, it is usually not a Mass to avoid the difficulty of non-Catholic individuals being unable to receive the Eucharist.
In summary, the Catholic Church recognizes both types of marriages, but there are different requirements and considerations for each. Marrying a non-Catholic Christian requires permission from the bishop, while marrying a non-Christian requires a dispensation from the bishop. The primary concern of the Catholic Church is to ensure that the Catholic spouse remains committed to their faith and that any children resulting from the union are baptized and raised in the Catholic faith.
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Getting permission from the bishop
If a Catholic wants to marry a non-Catholic, they must seek permission from the local bishop. This is also called a dispensation. The type of permission depends on the religious status of the non-Catholic. If the non-Catholic is a non-Christian, the permission is called a "dispensation from disparity of cult". If the non-Catholic is a Christian, the permission is called a "permission to enter into a mixed marriage".
The Catholic Church considers marriages between Catholics and non-Christians to be invalid unless a dispensation has been obtained from the bishop. If the dispensation is granted, the Church recognizes the marriage as valid but natural rather than sacramental, as the sacraments can only be received by those who are baptised.
To obtain permission to marry a non-Catholic baptised Christian, the following conditions must be fulfilled:
- Declare that you are prepared to remove dangers of defecting from the faith
- Make a sincere promise to do all in your power so that all offspring are baptised and brought up in the Catholic Church
- The other party is to be informed at an appropriate time about the promises which you are to make, in such a way that it is certain that he or she is truly aware of the promise and your obligation
- Both parties are to be instructed about the purposes and essential properties of marriage which neither of the contracting parties is to exclude
The priest usually applies for the dispensation, so the couple does not need to do anything extra for it. However, the couple will still have to go through the full Catholic marriage preparation together.
In addition, the Catholic Church permits weddings between Catholics and non-Catholics to be held in a Catholic church or a non-Catholic church. However, in the latter case, permission from the bishop is required for the marriage to be free of defect of form.
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Raising children in the Catholic faith
If a Catholic marries a non-Catholic, the wedding is usually not a Mass. This is to avoid the difficulty of so many persons being unable to receive the Eucharist. However, the wedding can be a Mass, but most often it is not. The ordinary place of a mixed marriage is the parish church, and the ordinary presider is the priest. A non-Catholic minister may attend the marriage ceremony and may also address, pray with, and bless the couple.
A Catholic Christian who intends to marry a non-Catholic Christian must receive permission from a "competent authority", who is usually the Catholic Christian party's local bishop or ordinary. If the proper conditions are fulfilled, such a marriage is seen as valid and also, since it is a marriage between baptized persons, it is a sacrament.
The Catholic Church recognizes marriages between two non-Christians or those between a Catholic Christian and a non-Christian, but these are not considered to be sacramental. In the latter case, the Catholic Christian must seek permission from their bishop for the marriage to occur; this permission is known as "dispensation from disparity of cult".
When a Catholic marries a non-Catholic, the non-Catholic spouse does not have to promise to have the children raised Catholic. However, the Catholic spouse must promise to do all that they can to have the children baptized and raised in the Catholic faith. This is particularly important in a mixed marriage because most non-Christian individuals and even most non-Catholic Christian denominations accept divorce and contraception, which are not allowed in the Catholic Church.
To obtain permission to marry a non-Catholic baptized Christian, the following conditions must be fulfilled:
- The Catholic party must declare that they are prepared to remove dangers of defecting from the faith.
- The Catholic party must make a sincere promise to do all in their power so that all offspring are baptized and brought up in the Catholic Church.
- The other party is to be informed at an appropriate time about the promises which the Catholic party is to make, in such a way that it is certain that they are truly aware of the promise and the Catholic party's obligation.
- Both parties are to be instructed about the purposes and essential properties of marriage, which neither of the contracting parties is to exclude.
The Catholic Church teaches that marriage between two baptized persons is a sacrament. The permanent and exclusive union between husband and wife mirrors the mutual commitment between God and his people. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states:
> "The intimate community of life and love which constitutes the married state has been established by the Creator and endowed by him with its own proper laws... God himself is the author of marriage. The vocation to marriage is written in the very nature of man and woman as they came from the hand of the Creator. Marriage is not a purely human institution despite the many variations it may have undergone through the centuries in different cultures, social structures, and spiritual attitudes."
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The wedding ceremony
The Catholic Church recognises marriages between baptised non-Catholic Christians and Catholics as sacramental, but consent from the diocesan bishop, termed "dispensation to enter into a mixed marriage", is required. On the other hand, marriages between a Catholic Christian and a non-Christian are not considered sacramental, and the Catholic Christian must seek permission from the bishop, known as "dispensation from disparity of cult". It is important to note that the non-Catholic spouse does not have to promise to raise any children in the Catholic faith, but the Catholic spouse must make this promise.
In summary, while the Catholic Church accommodates and blesses mixed marriages, there are specific requirements and considerations for the wedding ceremony to be recognised by the Church. These include obtaining the necessary dispensations or permissions, understanding the sacramental nature of the marriage, and agreeing on the religious upbringing of any children.
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The validity of the marriage
The Catholic Church does allow marriages between a Catholic and a non-Catholic, but there are certain conditions that must be met for the marriage to be considered valid. Firstly, the couple must receive permission from the local bishop, which is called a "dispensation" or "permission to enter into a mixed marriage" if the non-Catholic is a baptised Christian, and a "dispensation from disparity of cult" if the non-Catholic is not a Christian. This permission is relatively easy to obtain and can be requested through the parish when the couple gets engaged and starts marriage preparation. The wedding ceremony must also take place in a Catholic church, witnessed by a Catholic priest or deacon, using the Catholic ritual, unless the bishop grants permission for a different location, minister, or ritual.
It is important to note that even if a Catholic marries a non-Catholic, the wedding is usually not a Mass, to avoid the difficulty of non-Catholic guests being unable to receive the Eucharist. However, a Nuptial Mass may be celebrated for a marriage between a Catholic and a baptised non-Catholic with the permission of the local bishop, although Communion would not be given to the non-Catholic.
For the marriage to be considered valid, the Catholic spouse must also declare that they are prepared to remove the dangers of defecting from the faith and must promise to do everything in their power to ensure that any children resulting from the union are baptised and raised in the Catholic Church. The non-Catholic spouse must be made aware of these promises. While the Church allows Catholics to marry non-Catholics, it is important to note that mixed marriages are only tolerated, not actively encouraged.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, a Catholic can marry a non-Catholic. However, the Catholic Church only tolerates these marriages and does not encourage them.
A mixed marriage is when a Catholic marries a non-Catholic. If both parties are baptised Christians, it is called a "mixed religion marriage". If one is unbaptised, it is called a "disparity of cult marriage".
A Catholic must obtain permission from their local bishop to marry a non-Catholic Christian. This permission is called a "permission to enter into a mixed marriage".
A Catholic must obtain permission from their bishop to marry a non-Christian. This permission is called a "dispensation from disparity of cult".
A Catholic-non-Catholic marriage can take place in a Catholic church or a non-Catholic church. However, permission from a bishop is required for the marriage to be considered valid by the Catholic Church.
