Baptist marrying Catholic?

Question

What process do you have to go through if you're a Baptist and want to marry a Catholic?

Answer 1

In the US, such marriages are common.

Officially, the Catholic Church will usually tolerate mix marriages as long as the following condition are met:

1. Both parties must promise that their children shall be brought up as Catholics.

2. The Catholic must promise to endeavor 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.

Without these three conditions the Church will not sanction a mixed marriage.

Answer 2

Whoa -- some misinformation above.

Fact: The Baptist person does NOT have to convert to Catholicism in order to marry a Catholic.

Fact: The Baptist person does NOT have to promise to raise the children Catholic, although the Catholic spouse does have to make this commitment. It would be wise for both parties to agree to this, of course, but only the Catholic has to make the promise.

To marry in the Catholic Church, the couple will have to go through whatever mandatories are established by the diocese where they live. This may or may not include a number of counseling sessions with the priest who will officiate at the wedding, taking an instructional course about Catholicism (to help the Baptist spouse understand the Catholic spouse's faith better, not to make the Baptist convert), instruction on natural family planning and the importance to being open to life, and pre-marital courses such as Pre-Cana or Engaged Encounter. The Catholic spouse would most certainly need dispensation to marry a non-Catholic and both would be required to provide evidence of baptism as well as proof that they are both free to marry (no previous marriages -- if there are some, a decree of nullity must be sought).

If the couple wishes to have a Baptist wedding, the Catholic would need dispensation to marry a non-Catholic in a Baptist wedding ceremony. Again, there may be certain mandatories such as premarital counseling. And again, both parties would have to be free to marry.

Answer 3

Catholics are obligated to be married in the Catholic Church- or receive permission if the marriage takes place outside the Catholic Church. This most commonly happens when the groom is Catholic and the bride is not, since in our culture it is traditional to marry on the bride's church.

Either way, you must meet with the priest 4-6 times, depending on the priest. It is pretty laid back, but he will bring up topics for discussion that many couples pass over. You will also take a FOCUS inventory ( NOT a TEST). It allows the two of you to compare your attitudes on different issues and discover if you really are as compatible as you think! You will also attend a pre-Cana conference with other couples. You should also take a class in Natural Family Planning- which will surprise BOTH of you in the way it will build up your marriage and love and respect for each other.

The Catholic must promise-in writing-to raise children as Catholics.

As long as neither of you has been married before, it is pretty straight forward.

Answer 4

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.

Everyone being married in the Catholic Church has to go to a class or two.

For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, sections 1633-1637: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt2sect2chpt3art7.htm#1633

With love in Christ.

Answer 5

Most catholics perfer you to convert if you are marrying a catholic. You must promise to raise them in a catholic church. You should look into the differences between Baptist and catholic to see if you agree with them before any agreement.

Answer 6

< a catholic ceremony.>> Why would it be trickier? <> You need to shed some light in this for me first. WHY do you think it would be "trickier" to marry in the Catholic Church? < be a problem?>> In the Catholic Church? Yes. I mean, if THAT is what you mean by "trickier" this YES. You WILL have a problem. The Catholic Church doesn't go in for that "California bullshit". Marriage is a Holy Sacrament, and the proper place for a Holy Sacrament is the House of God; a house of worship.

Answer 7

You have to convert and to do so you will need to take classes.That is if you want to get married in the catholic church.

Answer 8

To do it in a Catholic Church, you will have to convert, which I think will mean you will have to chat w/ a priest, get some kind of certificate, do a confession, etc.

Answer 9

If you are a Baptist and you believe the Bible, why don't you try to get your partner out of that satanic cult, and have them baptized in a Christian church.

Answer 10

Go to RCIA and talk to the priest.