Hi!

Currently I am a member of a methodist church. Lately I have been learning about the Catholic Church and have felt a strong desire to join. My girlfriend, a methodist, and I have been dating for nearly 5 years, and I hope to get the nerve to pop the question in the next few months. I understand that it is possible for a Catholic and non-Catholic to marry under certain conditions. Here is my concern. We have always enjoyed be involved in the church together. If I attended mass as I were supposed to, would there be any problems with my involvement in the methodist church?

Thanks and God Bless, Nic W. ngw1@hotmail.com

-- (ngw1@hotmail.com), May 11, 2003

Answers

I am only sure of this...I think that there is more to it, but I am 100% sure that you can not recieve communion with them because this means that you would be accepting their teachings and not the Roman Catholic teaching that I assume you were baptized into... :)

-- Jacob (flake777@hotmail.com), May 11, 2003.

There is no major problem with a Catholic and a non-Catholic Christian marrying. It happens all the time. However, you personally will need to decide whether you are a Catholic or a Methodist. You can't be both. If you are a Catholic - can you attend a Methodist service with your Methodist wife (providing you also meet the obligations of your Catholic faith)? Yes. Can you receive Communion at the Methodist service? No. Can your wife attend Mass with you? Yes. Can she partake of the Eucharist? No.

-- Paul (PaulCyp@cox.net), May 11, 2003.