Inter-Faith Series, Sacrament of Matrimony: Why does the Church impose conditions in the case of a mixed marri

Question

A mixed marriage is a marriage in which only one of the partners is Catholic.

Sorry, that is marriage.

Answer 1

The key word is "Sacrament."

The "conditions" "imposed" are that the non-Catholic party agree to understand marriage in the same way as the Catholic party (indisolvable till death, etc), that the children be raised in the faith, and that there be no danger of the Catholic party defecting from the faith.

Again, the key word is "Sacrament," and those conditions are conditions for the marriage to be a "Sacrament" not conditions for them to be married (but as marriage in the Catholic Church is a sacrament, these things are necessary). If they don't want to be married in this fashion or don't agree, then why would they get the sacrament in the church? It is not as though anyone were forcing them to stay in the Church (I say, not to invite people to leave but to demonstrate that the free-will is still on the part of those who decide to get married in the Church ... and hence are not imposed upon to do anything, but agree.).

Answer 2

A mixed marriage does not guarantee proper upbringing of children, but that such marriages are allowed at all shows the fairness. Some terms should be expected.

bbd's ridiculous answer makse no sense at all. Catholics alone can be perfectly Christian, as the Anointing only is given through the Catholic Sacrament of Confirmation. The partial exception is with [quasi-]Orthodox, who have the Sacrament, but only in the diminished application as schismatics.

That false religion which protestantism is - having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof -, lacks the Anointing from which derives the Name Christian. Such people are regulated by terms extraneous to the LORD JESUS CHRIST's Covenant, and they lack Graces needed for Marriage in its perfection.

By acknowledging the few special terms commanded by GOD (WHO alone legitimately brings man and wife together) through the Church (the one Institution of GOD's Kingdom here on earth, despite not being a Catholic can truly enter Marriage, while still working out why he/she has yet to be a Catholic.

Answer 3

Hmmm...I wonder if someone's answer to your celibacy question might have sparked this one. ;) It's an excellent question! I suppose I should point out that women CAN be priests in the Anglican/Episcopalian Churches. I know that there were women deacons in the early Church. I think there are two reasons. First, women were not thought of as people worth listening to or knowledgeable. So, many followers wouldn't have allowed them to be in a place of authority in the early days of the Church. Many would have thought it to be a joke. Secondly, I think St. Augustine had something to do with it. For a good part of his life, he "shacked up" with a woman and even had a child with her. Then, he "found the Lord" and became a priest, a bishop, and finally a doctor of the Church. In his writings, he blamed his inability to "keep it in his toga," on women and their evil wiles. Their seductiveness was seen as evil and able to sort of put a spell on otherwise intelligent, good men. For centuries after he wrote these things, women were thought of by the men in charge of the Church as evil and bad. Sure, things might have changed since then, but it takes this Church hundreds of years to change things. Remember Capernicus was just recently cleared.

Answer 4

Matrimony: The Sacrament of Matrimony is the Sacrament which unites a Christian man and woman in lawful marriage. A Christian man and woman cannot be united in lawful marriage in any other way than by the Sacrament of Matrimony, because Christ raised marriage to the dignity of a Sacrament. The bond of Christian marriage cannot be dissolved by any human power. The effects of the Sacrament of Matrimony are:

To sanctify the love of husband and wife;
To give them grace to bear with each other´s weaknesses;
To enable them to bring up their children in the fear and love of God.
To receive the Sacrament of Matrimony worthily it is necessary to be in the state of grace, and it is necessary also to comply with the laws of the Church. The Church alone has the right to make laws concerning the Sacrament of marriage, though the state also has the right to make laws concerning the civil effects of the marriage contract. Christians should prepare for a holy and happy marriage by receiving the Sacraments of Penance and Holy Eucharist; by begging God to grant them a pure intention and to direct their choice; and by seeking the advice of their parents and the blessing of their pastors.

Biblical references: Matt 19:5; Mark 10:7-12; Eph 5:22-32; 1 Thess 4:4; Mal 2:14-16;
Matt 5:32-33; Matt 19:4-6,9; Mark 10:11-12; Lk 16:18; Rom 7:2-3; 1 Cor 7:10-11

Both the man and the woman must be baptized.

Church Teaching: Husbands and wives best support one another when they share prayer and worship together. When this cannot be, each must be faithful to their own beliefs. For sincere Roman Catholics, this includes faithful practice of their own religion, and handing on their faith to their children. For these reasons, Christian denominations often encourage marriage of their members with others who share the same religious views. Certainly the matter of religious beliefs and practices should be important to any couple from the beginning of their serious courtship.


Every Roman Catholic requires permission when they plan to marry a person who is not a Roman Catholic, and further permission if the marriage is to take place in the church of another denomination.

· While they must respect the faith the faith and values of others, Roman Catholics have a duty to give witness to their own. Therefore they must promise to do all in their power to practise their own religion and to ensure the Roman Catholic baptism and upbringing of their children. A Roman Catholic who is entering an inter-church or inter-faith marriage must make such a promise sincerely.

· One who is not a Roman Catholic should understand this promise. He or she should also be aware of Roman Catholic teaching on marriage and personally accept marriage as a commitment to a physical and spiritual union of life and love that is life-long and open to the gift of children.



Place of Marriage: Normally, such a marriage should take place in the parish church of the Roman Catholic. If, however, there are serious obstacles to this, permission may be given for the marriage to take place in the place of worship of another denomination. In this case, the person concerned should bring a copy of the marriage certificate to his or her own parish within 30 days after the wedding.

Answer 5

probably because the church doesn't like that someone who is out of their control is influencing someone who supposedly is. The church does not like anyone or anything that could possibly take away a follower.

Answer 6

Its quite simple, dear.

You see, Mary gets insanely jealous when one of the two partners doesn't choose to worship her and decides to worship someone else, say, Jesus.

Thats why the Mary-worshipping pagans (Catholics) insist on so many conditions. Its all about not upsetting the lady, dear.

Answer 7

It's ALL about control dude.