I am Baptist and my husband is Catholic. We got married 3 months ago in a civil wedding. Is there a way to get a marriage blessing in the Catholic Church so they recognize it as valid. His priest said that we have to wait a year before doing so. Or do we need to just get married in the church? How long does it take to arrange a marriage blessing? Please help.

-- Michelle (Sshelly150@aol.com), June 23, 2004

Answers

Since you are not validly married in the eyes of the Church, it will be necessary for you to marry in the Church. The Church cannot "bless" a non- existent marriage, and a Catholic cannot become married by going through a civil ceremony. The rule about waiting a year is not a universal requirement as far as I know, but it could be a requirement in your local diocese, probably based on the fact that a great many marriages in which Catholic participants ignore God's will as made manifest through the teaching of His Church, do not endure for a year.

-- Paul M. (PaulCyp@cox.net), June 23, 2004.