Can a Catholic and Non-Catholic get married in a Catholic church without non catholic converting?

Question

My partner and I are wanting to get married in a Catholic church, he's Catholic and I'm not. I've been asked if I'd convert but is this really necessary?

Answer 1

A Catholic may marry another Christian. You don't have to convert to Catholicism. However, you do have to agree that any children you have together will be raised in the Catholic faith.

Have you considered attending a few RCIA classes at the Catholic Church? The first few sessions are introductory and you aren't required to make any commitment. However they would provide you with a good overview of Catholicism and that might help you make a good informed decision.

I am including a link below with a very good explanation on Catholics marrying non-Catholics. I hope you'll find it helpful.

Answer 2

as some of the above posters say, it is not necessary to become a Catholic.

Some posters say you have to agree to raise children Catholic: that is not exactly true. The Catholic partner has to agree to do everything possible to raise the children Catholic, possible understood to mean not disrupting the peace of the marriage. The non-Catholic has to be told that the Catholic partner has agreed to this.

Also, it is not true that a Catholic can only marry another Christian. A Catholic can marry a non-Christian.

Priests do not talk to each other in secret Latin. A priest will contact the priest of the parish you belong to (or live in) if he has any concerns.

Answer 3

The Catholic Church allows marriage between Catholics and non-Catholics.

Because the Church recognizes the tremendous challenge that the interfaith couple will face, they may have to get permission from the bishop.

You do not have to convert.

With love in Christ.

Answer 4

Yes you can. But you will most likey be asked to raise your children as catholics. So if you don't mind raising your kids as catholics - then go for it.
But be warned, the priest will interview you as a couple, then separately, to assess you as candidates for marriage. If one person says they want kids and the other doesn't - he can refuse to marry you, on the grounds that the marriage may falter for this reason.
And if you go to a second priest to ask him to marry you after being refused by the first, the second priest will contact the first and ask for the reason of his refusal. This can be done in a crafty way by communicating in Latin!!
Good luck in your future marriage!

Answer 5

Yes, you can get married in the Catholic church without converting. I am Catholic and my husband is not. We were married in the Catholic Church.

They did require my husband to be a baptized Christian though. If you are not a baptized Christian, they will probably not marry you.

Answer 6

Yes, you can. My sister (Catholic) married a non-Catholic in the Church. You still have to go throught the 6 month class and promise to raise your children Catholic, but yes...you can.

Answer 7

Yes you can, my friend did but her husband, who was Non Catholic had to agree to bring the children up in the Catholic faith, don't know if this still stands,

There should be no other problem, good luck with your forthcoming marriage.

Answer 8

yes...but have to go to some "talks" with the priest before hand who points out all that is expected from the non catholic in a mixed marriage....ie children raised as Catholics etc.

Answer 9

Yes it can be done, only if the non catholic signs an agreement that the children from the union will be raised catholic

Answer 10

Strictly speaking, you can.
The reason for this is because the officiants in a marriage are the bride and the groom, not the priest or the attendants.

What happens is you'll probably find some difficulties, because Parishes may have a number of rules about it (publisising the marriage in advance etc...), but in principle you can.