Im catholic, my fiance is athiest (no religion) we want to get married in a church
is he able to get married to me in a catholic church, or would he need to change his religion to catholic first, and if so... how would he go about changing his religion?
2007-03-14 05:41:32 · 34 answers · asked by liza p 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Asking your priest would probably be better.
2007-03-14 05:43:44 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Catholics have the unique "privilege" of being able to baptize anybody they want. All you have to do is splash some water on your fiance (doesn't have to be holy water even) and say, "I baptize you in the name of the father, the son and the holy spirit." and that's it. In 3-4 seconds he's a legal catholic (though he will still obviously be an atheist).
In the old days if you did this to a child of non-catholic parents the spanish inquisition would take the child and raise it catholic away from the parents, such as what happened with Edgardo Mortara.
It's still catholic doctrine that anybody can be baptized without needing a priest or anything of that sort.
Or you could try and arrange the wedding and just not say anything about it.
2007-03-14 05:50:29 · answer #2 · answered by Mike K 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes of course, but i can't see a true atheist getting married in church, but there's nothing to stop him, the church may ask what faith he is, and has he been christened, just say yes, and get on with it, what does it matter as long as you love each other, that's all that matters in Gods eyes anyway, and getting married in church is a cost you could do without, but if that's what you want then Good luck, and I hope you have many years of love, but what faith are you going to teach your children? if you are a strict catholic that could raise problems.
Love & Peace
2007-03-14 05:57:06 · answer #3 · answered by ringo711 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You need to ask your Priest because every church is different. My family is all Catholic and, as far as I know, they will NOW (they refused to allow my mom to get married the second time in the church because she'd been divorced but that was 20 years ago. Things have changed) allow you to get married in the church but its a ceremony thats almost secular in nature.
They WILL make you agree with raise the children Catholic.
2007-03-14 05:55:00 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Does this mean that your fiancee, as an atheist, is willing to claim allegiance to the Catholic Church in order to wed you? Does this mean that his religious stance is entirely based on yours and he only has to pay lip service to the Catholic Church in order that this might be so? I see it as not only weakening his moral position but also that of the Catholic Church. Do they really want an atheist who is merely paying lip service to them?
My own father had a penchant for marrying Catholic women. The first was no longer able to be Catholic, as she was marrying a divorced man. She decided against remaining Catholic and became Episcopalian instead. She (my stepmother) is one of the most spiritually strong people I know. My father's third wife somehow managed to remain in the Catholic Church and marry my father too--there was a long series of complicated questionnaires and reviews; I don't know the details. But his third wife remains a Catholic (I don't know in what state of disgrace since I've not been to a Catholic service since they refused me Communion long ago).
You might check into some sort of dispensation, because apparently it can be done without conversion of one party. (Unless my father secretly claimed to be Catholic and didn't tell me--he most certainly doesn't practice!)
2007-03-14 05:53:31 · answer #5 · answered by Black Dog 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have heard it both ways. I've heard some say that the two people have to have taken the sacrement of confirmation (and all that leads up to it), and more reliable sources say that if at least one is confirmed, then it's OK.
Talk to the priest of your parish for a more definite answer. In fact, ask around different parishes too, just to see if this is a personal bias thing on the priest's part.
By the way, when you say "WE want to get married in a church", do you really mean "*I* want to get married in a church"?
Also, "atheism" and "having no religion" are not necessarily the same thing.
2007-03-14 05:46:05 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Every parish makes their own rules on this - some let you, but not up on the altar, some don't care at all, some make a big deal out of it until the check how generously you've donated over the years.... If yours says no, go to the next Catholic church down the road and they may say yes.
2007-03-14 05:54:38 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
For heavens sakes...yes you can.
Does not have to change his religion...just don't tell the priest he's a athiest. Tell him he's not sure what he believes.
Come on...just lie, you can always go to confession and be absolved the next day, not even being mean here.
Would it be better if he converted to Catholic...thats like lying everyday if he's really athiest (believes there is NO God).
If your fiance is searching for religion....don't let him join till he really figures it out...again just lying all around.
Are you a "Good" catholic...mustn't be if your marring a athiest. So does it really matter anyway???
2007-03-14 05:45:58 · answer #8 · answered by ste.phunny 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
An atheist does not accept the claims of the existance of gods. If your husband joins the Catholic church he will still be an atheist. Although the clergy will not know this. (There are probably millions of atheists that are attached to a particular religion, if only for the social aspects). Attaching yourself to a church doesn't mean that you accept the existance of mythological/ man-invented gods.
2007-03-14 06:20:09 · answer #9 · answered by Ny Sass 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
As far as I am aware he can get married in the catholic church but has to promise that any children of the marriage have to be raised in the catholic faith. You need to speak to your priest. By the way if he is atheist he can't change his religion because he doesn't have one! It would be rather hypocritical for him to adopt the catholic faith if he clearly does not believe in God.
2007-03-14 06:47:01 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Technically, two Atheists could get married in a catholic church if they wanted to. If the proprietors are routinely willing to allow the marriage of two Catholics on the premises, then I doubt they have a legal right to refuse permission for other legal wedding combinations. Such discrimination is, rightly, illegal. Marriage is not a religious ceremony.
Religion, in this case, as in so many others, is irrelevant and only important if it is made to be so artificially by people wishing to subjugate and oppress other people.
2007-03-14 10:34:00 · answer #11 · answered by Frog Five 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋