Catholic girl/protestant guy, married civil ceremony. Basically, she wants to make the marriage legal in the eyes of the church. Now, the question is, would the church grant any type of marriage to this couple considering the guy is a non-practicing protestant with no intent to convert? I had always thought catholic ceremonies were reserved for catholics? Would the marriage be given permission for the sake of the girl? Would they have to go through some type of 'premarital' counseling from the church?

-- Ima Catholic (Im@yourhouse.net), August 02, 2004

Answers

Catholics marry non-Catholics in the Church all the time. There is no requirement to convert. Whether they would be required to take pre-marital classes would depend on circumstances. But in most parishes this isn't much of a time commitment, often just two or three evenings.

-- Paul M. (PaulCyp@cox.net), August 02, 2004.

Hi " Ima Catholic",

I asked the same question some time back. I am a "protestant" and my fiance was a catholic, and her parents wanted her to have a catholic wedding. I made my views of the catholic, very aware to her, and stated I would not allow our kids into a catholic church.

But God is the author of all things, because she has left the catholic, as she found what she was looking for...outside the catholic church. I know brother Paul and Co. will condemn her for this.

So know we getting married in a OUR church.

Nolan

-- nolan (nolannaicker@webmail.co.za), August 03, 2004.

Only God condemns. All we can do is grieve such a self-destructive decision, one she apparently was coerced into.

-- Paul M. (PaulCyp@cox.net), August 03, 2004.

To my Brother, in Christ, Paul

Do you think that protestants, if they believe in the lord Jesus as their saviour, will they get to heaven.

-- nolan (nolannaicker@webmail.co.za), August 03, 2004.

Yes, the Church teaches that such people may be saved if THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN they do not recognize the Catholic Church as the one true Church founded by Jesus Christ for all men. However, one who does recognize this reality, yet still rejects Christ's Church in favor of manmade religious tradition, may forfeit salvation as a result.

-- Paul M. (PaulCyp@cox.net), August 03, 2004.

Thanks Brother Paul,

Its no secret, I reject the traditions of the catholic church, BUT what man made traditions do i follow. Believing in the Lord Jesus as my personal Saviour, believing that His Word is above all things, over and above man, the pope, the churches...even protestant church.

I have discuss my "issue" with the catholic church, maybe you can educate me on your beliefs of the "man-made traditions".

Thanks nolan

-- Nolan (nolannaicker@webmail.co.za), August 03, 2004.

It is not the "traditions" of the Catholic Church you reject, but the doctrinal teachings of the Catholic Church. Yet if you read your Bible you find that the Church Christ founded is called "the pillar and foundation of truth", without which the truth cannot stand. Your Bible tells you that whatsoever the Church of God binds upon earth is bound in heaven. Your Bible tells you that the keys to the kingdom are held by the earthly head of Christ's Church. Your Bible tells you Jesus guaranteed that the Holy Spirit would guide the Church He founded to all truth. And your Bible tells you that he who listens to the leaders of Christ's Church listen to Him; and that he who rejects that Church rejects Him.

History plainly tells you that the Catholic Church, the only Christian Church that existed for 1,000 years after Christ, is the one true Church He founded for all men. Your own tradition, a few hundred years old, clearly demonstrates the fragmentation and collapse into doctrinal chaos that inevitably occurs when you try to find the truth apart from the biblical foundation of truth. You say you believe that the Word of God is above all things, and so do I. But what good is that unless you have an infallible means of knowing the Word of God and what it means? All Catholics have the same beliefs, those which Christianity has held from the beginning. Every group of Protestants has beliefs which conflict with other groups of Protestants; yet each Protestant group says the Word of God is above all. Can all these conflicting beliefs represent the Word of God? Can the Word of God conflict with itself a thousand times over? If the Word of God is truth, then any group of people who are actually following the Word of God necessarily have unity of belief.

Each Protestant denomination is the tradition of a different human founder. All such traditions are based at least loosely upon Catholicism; otherwise they would not be Christian in any sense. But each denomination has replaced some of the divinely revealed doctrinal truth of Christ's Church with new traditions introduced by their human founders. These are the manmade traditions you follow. If you are Protestant, the foundation of your faith is not what the Bible identifies as the foundation of truth, but instead the manmade traditions of sola scriptura, sola fide, and private interpretation, three ideas which no Christian on earth ever heard of until a few hundred years ago. Beyond that, which manmade traditions you follow depend upon which of the thousands of conflicting denominations you currently belong to. There is no biblical support for such a system, and given the fruit this system has produced, it is clear why the Bible could not possibly approve of any such thing. It flatly contradicts the words of Christ Himself, "that they all may be ONE".

-- Paul M. (PaulCyp@cox.net), August 03, 2004.

Paul is right on target. Sola Scriptura is a man-made tradition that didn't appear until Christianity was already 1500 years old.

If Jesus wanted the Bible to be the sole source of authority then why didn't He write any of it? Think about it.

-- Disillusioned Catholic (skeptickk@yahoo.com), August 03, 2004.

"If Jesus wanted the Bible to be the sole source of authority then why didn't He write any of it? Think about it. "

Disillusioned,

-suggest you add misinformed/ignorant to your moniker AND stop thinking so much --concentrate on faithful obedience and acceptance.

As Catholics we understand and it is accepted that the Bible is NOT the sole source of authority... Additionally, we understand that the bible is inspired by God -Jesus is God; therfore, He did inspire/write it...

-- Daniel Hawkenberry (dlm@catholic.org), August 03, 2004.

-suggest you add misinformed/ignorant to your moniker AND stop thinking so much --concentrate on faithful obedience and acceptance.

Sorry, but I don't accept the idea that being Catholic means that I must check my brains at the door.

As Catholics we understand and it is accepted that the Bible is NOT the sole source of authority...

Agreed. Hey, I ain't no Protestant. That's for sure.

Additionally, we understand that the bible is inspired by God -Jesus is God; therfore, He did inspire/write it...

Well, Jesus didn't actually write it, did He? He was 12 years old when He was found in the temple discussing Scripture with the rabbis. He was crucified at the age of 33. So that means that He had at least 21 years to pen a few lines of Scripture. But He didn't. Nor did He instruct any of His apostles to take dictation.

So here's the point I'm making to the Bible-only Protestants: If Jesus wanted His followers to use the Bible as their sole authority, then why didn't He write any of it?

I'm really on your side. I may be a disillusioned Catholic but I could never be a Protestant.

-- Disillusioned Catholic (skeptickk@yahoo.com), August 04, 2004.

then why use the Bible at all...if we cant accept is as the Only Word of God.

-- nolan (nolannaicker@webmail.co.za), August 04, 2004.

The Word of God is everything Jesus Christ gave to the Church He founded, including but not limited to those points mentioned by the Apostles in their correspondence. The Bible remains a major portion of the Word of God, and yields truth when authoritatively and infallibly interpreted. However, ideas gleaned from the Bible through private interpretation are NOT the Word of God, as demonstrated by the widespread conflict and contradiction among such ideas.

-- (PaulCyp@cox.net), August 04, 2004.

I have an issue with people believing in an infallible tradition. I think Martin Luther had an issue with it, too...I'm a protestant who believes that scripture is the best authority we have...perhaps not the only authority...i believe it is the best because it brings us closest to the origins of Christianity in telling us the story of Jesus Himself.

-- Jessamyn Urban (jessamynurban@yahoo.com), August 27, 2004.

If "the best authority we have" results in the fragmentation of Christianity into thousands of conflicting denominations, we are in deep trouble. Jesus said that all believers are to be in unity, not division. That unity of belief can be found in just one place - the Church He personally founded for all mankind, the only Christian Church that existed for 1,000 years after His death and resurrection, the only Church He ever authorized or intended to exist, the Holy Catholic Church. He also said that the truth would set us free, and contradictory beliefs cannot be true beliefs. Which is why there is no doctrinal contradiction and no denominationalism after 2,000 years in the Church He founded.

No place in Scripture does the Bible claim to be "an authority" or possess any authority. The only claim it makes for itself is that it is "useful". No surprise there; that's why the Catholic Church compiled the book in the first place, because they knew it would be useful to have some of its earliest major writings consolidated into one book. The only biblical records of Jesus granting authority involve the leaders of His Church, not a book. It was by the authority of the Church that the messsage of salvation was preached throughout the world; and it was by the authority of the Church that the Bible was defined for all men for all time.

The writings of an organization cannot have authority apart from the organization through which they came into being, which alone is the valid interpreter of its own writings.

-- Paul M. (PaulCyp@cox.net), August 27, 2004.

Dear Paul,

So you are basically saying that the only "true" form of Christianity is that of the Catholic Faith? Why does one denomination state they are better than the rest? Aren't we all God's people? Who are you to judge what is right in the Lord's view?

The Catholic faith as been around for many years and yes the protestant religions seperated from that faith. But I do not see your point as to why it's better. They all have some basic foundations and some basic divisions. I think diviersity offers insight and an opportunity for each person to decide how faith plays into their lives. Not an institution that says they're above all else. That's whack! God sent Jesus to everyone who believes in him. I don't think he'll diseminate based on what denomination you are in.

As a side note, I think you need to make time to understand those who believe differently, that's true Christianity.

-- Polly (pollywatt60@hotmail.com), December 27, 2004.

jesus said :'there are many folds,but i will all unite them in one'

-- sdqa (sdqa@sdqa.com), December 27, 2004.

Polly,

> "So you are basically saying that the only "true" form of Christianity is that of the Catholic Faith?"

A: The Catholic faith is the only complete Christianity. Denominational churches possess much truth, which they took with them when they left the Catholic Church. However their theology is incomplete because they rejected many essential Christian truths when they left their Catholic roots; and they teach much untruth because the truths they rejected were replaced by new traditions of men, something the Bible specifically tells us to avoid.

> "Why does one denomination state they are better than the rest?"

A: One denomination isn't necessarily better than the rest, because ALL denominations are imperfect counterfeit churches designed by men, and violate the will of God, that all should be ONE. The Catholic Church is not a denomination. A denomination, by definition, is a group that rejects its former identity ("denomination" from the Latin "de nomina", meaning "out of the name" or "away from the name"). the Catholic Church is the ONE Church founded by Jesus Christ for all men. It did not come into existence by rejecting its former identity, as it had no former identity.

> "Aren't we all God's people?"

A: Yes, we are. Those of us who are in the Church Christ founded for us, and those of us who rebelled against His Church and founded their own. God said He wanted ALL of His people to be ONE in faith, ONE in worship. The Protestant Rebellion violated and continues to violate God's stated will.

> "Who are you to judge what is right in the Lord's view?"

A: I am making no judgments. The Lord plainly stated what is right in His view. Denominationalism isn't! I simply accept what He said.

> "The Catholic faith as been around for many years and yes the protestant religions seperated from that faith. But I do not see your point as to why it's better".

A: It is "better" because being in the will of God is always "better" than being in violation of His will. One Church founded by Himself for all men is His stated will. Thousands of manmade conflicting, contradicting churches all claiming to teach the truth is clearly NOT His will. His will is that we have the fullness of truth. He said that the Holy Spirit would guide His Church - the one He fiounded - to all truth. Conflicting churches cannot be teaching the fullness of truth, because truth cannot conflict with truth.

> "They all have some basic foundations and some basic divisions."

A: Yes, of course "they" do - because the fundamental traditions upon which "they" are founded are invalid. 450 years of continuous fragmentation and doctrinal chaos should be enough to demonstrate that. His Church however professes 2,000 years of continuous, unchanging, pure truth, just as He intended.

> "I think diviersity offers insight and an opportunity for each person to decide how faith plays into their lives."

A: Indeed it does! And there is tremendous diversity within His own Church. However, there is NOT diversity of doctrinal belief in His Church, because that would guarantee untruth, and He promised that the Holy Spirit would guide His Church to all truth.

> "God sent Jesus to everyone who believes in him. I don't think he'll diseminate based on what denomination you are in."

A: Really? He said the TRUTH would set us free. Yet you think it's fine with Him if we reject the Church He founded for us, and join a manmade church teaching untruth? There is a description of denominationalism in the Bible (2 Tim 4:3-4). It certainly does not sound like something Jesus is likely to accept.

> "As a side note, I think you need to make time to understand those who believe differently, that's true Christianity".

A: Oh, I do understand those who believe "differently" (differently from the truth means false beliefs). All the more reason why I cling to Christ's Holy Church, and reject incomplete and false traditions of men.

-- Paul M. (PaulCyp@cox.net), December 27, 2004.

I think diviersity offers insight and an opportunity for each person to decide how faith plays into their lives

see, the fundamental part of faith is the rebirth by baptism into the will of God. how the faith plays into YOUR life is nothing, it isnt even real faith... its parcing what God intended so that you can hold onto your former self instead of seeking the true will of God. religion isnt about finding what makes you comfortable, its about purging the self of its unholy desires and seeking the divine will of God. THAT is true christianity.

Peace be with you

-- paul h (dontSendMeMail@notAnAddress.com), December 27, 2004.