How to Be Married in a Catholic Church
For a marriage to be valid in the Catholic Church, a couple must meet certain requirements.
- Difficulty:
- Moderate
Instructions
Things You'll Need
- Tuxedo Cummerbunds
- Tuxedo Shirts
- Tuxedos
- Wedding Gowns
- Wedding Veils
- Wedding Rings
- Wedding Licenses
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1
Select a partner who is not related to you by blood or marriage. (Marriage between relatives is forbidden in the Catholic Church.)
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2
Be sure you and your partner are old enough for marriage in the eyes of the Catholic Church. A man must be at least 17 years old and a woman must be at least 15.
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3
Consult with both sets of parents if either of you is a minor. You will need their consent before a pastor will marry you.
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4
Discuss with your partner your views about having children, since this possibility must exist in order for your marriage to be valid in the Catholic Church.
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5
Participate with your partner in premarital counseling.
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6
Arrange to be married before a priest and two witnesses if you and your partner are both Catholic.
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7
Be prepared prior to the wedding for your pastor to publicly announce that you and your partner plan to marry and to encourage anyone who has a reason why the union should be prevented to speak out.
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8
Remember that once a marriage between two Catholics is consummated, it can never be dissolved in the eyes of the church.
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Tips & Warnings
Use your engagement as a time for considering the religious aspects of your relationship and talking about your future together as a couple.
If you and your partner are not baptized, your marriage will be valid and your children will be legitimate in the Catholic Church. But unlike the marriage of a baptized couple, the union will not be considered a sacrament.
Take the proper steps if you are Catholic and plan to marry a non-Catholic. You must promise to remain a Catholic and to baptize your children and raise them as Catholics; obtain permission from the local bishop; and inform your spouse of these promises.
Understand that mixed-faith marriages are usually performed according to the Catholic rite. Occasionally, a non-Catholic minister will be allowed to participate.
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Comments
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Shauna O'Donnell
Oct 01, 2010
Hi I am getting married this May and my fiance doesn't want to get married in the Catholic Church. We have decided to hire a Justice of the Peace instead to marry us. I know hes not religious and I can't force him to get married in the church , but being raised Catholic I can't help but feel like this is wrong of me and a sin for me not to get married in the Catholic Church. Can we be blessed by a Catholic priest so this still can feel somewhat right to me? -
khin
Dec 02, 2009
THIS IS WRONG! First, relations farther removed than first cousins CAN marry in Catholicism, and first cousins can marry with a dispensation from a bishop or other ordinary. Second, the minimum ages are 14 for a woman and 16 for a man, respectively, NOT 15 and 17. You can check canon law to verify all this. I haven't checked the other statements, but given this track record, you'd be better off seeking advice elsewhere.
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kelloggsville
Nov 17, 2009
My son is getting married in the catholic church in the philipines he is not catholic and has not attended marraige counseling with her,, the problem is he is going to be ther 3 weeks in Sept during which he would like to get married in the church, can this be done in a 3 week period with the Priest meeting with them and doing a church wedding all in 3 weeks, thnanks in advanced
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Riklyn
Oct 02, 2008
We are already married (Civil) last January, 2006 and we are living together for more than a year now. Since my husband was divorced and non catholic, he took an RCIA classes for 1 1/2 years and apply for annulment of the church.. now we already have the annulment of the church certificate from Marriage Tribunal and he needs to be confirmed... I wanted to kow what will we do in order for us to get married in Catholic church for we need blessings on our marriage and so that we can get communion every Sunday.... we heard mass every Sunday but for me it is not complete without receiving communion... I desperately need an answer... thanks and God bless us all always....
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Riklyn
Oct 02, 2008
We are already married (Civil) last January, 2006 and we are living together for more than a year now. Since my husband was divorced and non catholic, he took an RCIA classes for 1 1/2 years and apply for annulment of the church.. now we already have the annulment of the church certificate from Marriage Tribunal and he needs to be confirmed... I wanted to kow what will we do in order for us to get married in Catholic church for we need blessings on our marriage and so that we can get communion every Sunday.... we heard mass every Sunday but for me it is not complete without receiving communion... I desperately need an answer... thanks and God bless us all always....
