I'm Christian and He's Catholic?

Question

My fiancee is catholic and I was baptised christian. Do I need to take classes in order to marry in a catholic chruch? I was told that catholic and christian is the same thing. And my fiancee said if we did marry in a church and I do have to convert and I am not willing to then he wont marry in a chruch.. some body help!!!

Answer 1

Uh - you're both Christian. I think you mean you are Protestant and he is Catholic. Catholics have very strict rules about marriage in their church. And yes you would need to take classes.

Answer 2

You really need to read up and understand what you are about to get into. My Mom just went through this entire process, and it is a really really big deal.

Catholics are 'christian' but they have many many many beliefs that are different from the non-catholic christian beliefs. Enough to cause the seperation of nations and start wars and change cultures. Read up on all this before you make any big decisions. Also that a look at the role of the catholic church in the history of the english monarchy. That is also very interesting. ( eapecially the psrts where the pope tries to get elected beacuse he's trying to avoid beheading by the king...)

There's a lot more to converting to catholicism than just going to confession and getting to use their church for the ceremonies. A lot of times you are praying to Mary, not God. There is an impression that you don't have direct access to the Lord who died on the cross to eliminate that divide. Using beads to recite and lighting candles to send prayers and covering yourself with water upon every entrance to the church are also symbolic. This stuff isn't just cute routine that you do at church. It is all significant and you need to understand what you are convertung to - don't just change what you profess to be the truth because you want a particular day of our life to look a certian way.

If you are younger, believe what people say about agreeing on your household religion before you have a marriage and kids. It does turn into a MAJOR issue later on. If not just in where you're driving SUnday morning, then think about this - Are you OK with changing the core of who you are just to be accepted by this man? You should both be on the same page about this - I mean, WHAT is more important, when you get down to the purpose of life?

Answer 3

You won't have to convert to get married in the Catholic church but you both will have some classes to take, some are only one day, others are a weekend course, it's not so bad.
You will have to meet with the priest a few times also. Not so bad. Some churches require you two to take a test to see how compatiable you are. Not a big deal.
Yes a Chrisitan is what people call themselves in many different religions.

Answer 4

Since you are an adult (I assume) and, since you've apparently been going to church, I would assume that you're church has told you something of it's theology. If your church has been so inept that it hasn't managed to instill any doctrinal knowledge in you in the years you've been attending then I can only say that it's possible that you don't really believe in anything anyway.
There are big differences between Protestant and Catholic belief in many areas. I would suggest that you first pinpoint what it is you believe now (if anything) so you will know what you are converting FROM before you consider converting TO something.
This is a more important issue then whether you get married in a church or by a justice of the peace.

Answer 5

catholics are christians. sheesh. they're the first christians.

if he's a practicing catholic, the church will require you to take classes together to marry in the church. they will not require you to convert, just to promise to raise the kids catholic.

here's some important things to remember.
The story of genesis, read it. You'll see there are two stories there, two versions. Then, learn how genesis' creation story is exactly identical to the egyptian creation myth, except the egyptians refer to different gods having the traits the one jewish god is described as creating. otherwise, the order is the same, the events are the same, the story is the same.

also, jesus' famous admonition that only he who is without sin should throw the first stone - this story never appears anywhere until after 400 a.d. It's made up.

like most of it. religion is so artificial, so mythological (you guys look to outsiders like you are arguing over which way to worship zeus - there's no difference - you just think one is myth and the other 'real' - but it's all myth.)

why don't you leave the silliness behind so you can face life reality-based?

Answer 6

When I got married (the first time) I married a catholic in the catholic church and I was not baptized catholic. You just can't have a catholic ceremony, unless they've changed things. We did however have to go to a couple (private) counseling sessions.
They both lasted about 30-45 min. We didn't talk about much of anything really private, just how I felt about children and if my husband wanted them baptized catholic would I go along with it.

Answer 7

To marry in the Catholic church you WILL have to take the marriage classes. You do NOT have to convert to be married in the Church, only one of the two need be catholic. You must both be single, NOT divorced. If you are divorced you will need to get your previous marriage annuled by the catholic church (no joke).

Also if you choos to marry in the catholic church you MUST promise these things.
The Church tolerates mixed marriages on three conditions: (Without these three conditions the Church will not sanction a mixed marriage.)

1. Both parties must promise that their children shall be brought up as Catholics;
2. The Catholic must promise to endeavour to bring the non-Catholic to the knowledge of the truth;
3. The non-Catholic must promise to allow the Catholic liberty for the free exercise of his or her religion.

Answer 8

My mom and dad faced this problem. My mom is catholic and my dad is protestant. They married in the protestant church, (my dad's dad was the minister) and there wasn't really any issues. My mom's side (catholic) were a little put-off but not too bad. My mom is still catholic and my dad is still protestant. I know that my mom's side really wanted the children to be raised catholic but my parent's didn't push either one. Have you asked him if he would marry in the protestant church? (I'm assuming you are protestant!)

There are different types of christianity. As it was explained to me, the title 'Christian' is like a large heading and then different branches of christianity go from there. Catholicism is one of the different branches, as is protestant. They have some similar beliefs and some very different beliefs all together.

Answer 9

Catholics are Christians. Typical Catholic attitude. He wants you to marry him in his church but he wouldn't think of marrying you in yours. You probably would have to take classes. Tell him that goes both ways. I'd call his bluff, just get married by a Judge.

Answer 10

Catholicism is a form of Christianity, however, it is probably one of, if not the least liberal forms of it. Basicallly it boils down to how religious your fiance is. Theoretically you don't have to get married in a catholic church to get married (you can still get married in another church as non-denomenational or whatever form of christian you are), but devout catholics do not recognize marriages as legitimate unless they are done in a catholic church (for example...Nicole Kidman had no problem marrying Urban in a catholic church b/c being a catholic, the church never recognized her union with tom cruise). In that case, you would have to convert to a practicing catholic to have your marriage offically ordained by the religion.

Answer 11

If you plan to marry in the Catholic Church, you will need to take classes.