I've recently found this board on the internet and I do appologize if this question has been asked before, but I couldn't find it.

I am Catholic and my girlfriend is not. We've been dating for 2 1/2 years and have recently begun to talk about marriage. To make a long story short, she would rather get married at the Church she has gone to her entire life (which is not Catholic) than any other location. How would we go about doing that so that it is alright according to the Catholic Church?

-- George Hutchinson (gthutchinson@bsu.edu), April 23, 2003

Answers

very simply put, you can hold the wedding in another church, provided your priest is there to ensure that the requirements of the wedding sacrament are indeed met.

-- paul (dontSendMeMail@notAnAddress.com), April 23, 2003.

Paul is right. Talk to your Priest and involve him in your marriage preparation.

Your Priest should be willing to attend at another church as long as both churches are sensitive to and not violating any church law that might apply. Most main stream churches should work together quite comfortably.

If it is your wish to remain Catholic when she does not, I would highly recommend that you both consider attending your local RCIA program so that she has no missconceptions as to what Catholics believe. It is an investment in your marriage relationship together that can both deepen and strengthen what you share together.

It is, of course, our wish that you could both see your way to find your home in our Church, but the Spirit will walk with you whichever path you are led.

God Bless you both

-- Leon (vol@weblink2000.net), April 23, 2003.

Thank you for your responses, I shall do that.

I do intend on remaining Catholic throughout my life and love the Church very much. At the moment, my gf (soon to be fiancee when I finally get around to officially asking her) is not but she is not hostile to the Church either. We've both been exploring the Church together (her for the first time) and it is my fervant hope that she'll come around, and I think she will one day.

Again, thank you both.

-- George Hutchinson (gthutchinson@bsu.edu), April 23, 2003.