If two Catholic, confirmed Catholics get married in the Lutheran Church, does the Catholic Church see that as valid? What I mean is, if they later decide to get a divorce, and then marry somebody else in the Catholic Church, will they have to have that Lutheran marriage annuled? What if they don't get a divorce but decide to have a Catholic ceremony, will the priest only give them a blessing or something? or will they have to have an actual Catholic marriage ceremony? Are they living in sin if they live together and raise a family?

brian

-- brian (brian@brian.com), November 08, 2004

Answers

The Church recognizes their union, but does does not consider it a valid Catholic sacrament. The Church does not consider them as living in sin if they are truly committed to one another. If they decide to have a Catholic ceremony, it will not simply be a blessing, they will have to have a valid Catholic sacramental marriage.

However, i'm not sure what happens if they decide to get divorce. If the Church requires an annulment, it will NOT be because there WAS a marriage, because there NEVER WAS a valid marriage. An annulment simply states there was never a valid marriage. Not that there wasn't a union, but there was never the valid sacrament.

Anyway, i'm not completely sure.

-- leslie (leslie@nothanks.com), November 08, 2004.

Leslie's answer is partially correct ...

> "If two Catholic, confirmed Catholics get married in the Lutheran Church, does the Catholic Church see that as valid?"

A: No, it does not. The couple is not married in the eyes of the Church.

> "What I mean is, if they later decide to get a divorce, and then marry somebody else in the Catholic Church, will they have to have that Lutheran marriage annuled?"

A: Yes, they will. The Church does not recognize such a marriage as valid, but they will need to get an official statement to that effect, which is what an annulment is.

> "What if they don't get a divorce but decide to have a Catholic ceremony, will the priest only give them a blessing or something? or will they have to have an actual Catholic marriage ceremony?"

A: Since they are not married, there is nothing to "bless". They will have to be married in the Catholic Church. This is an entirely different situation from two Lutherans who marry in their own church, then convert to Catholicism, and want to have their marriage "blessed by the Church".

> "Are they living in sin if they live together and raise a family?"

A: Since they are not married, yes.

Incidentally, what possible reason could there be for two Catholics to marry in a Protestant church??

-- Paul M. (PaulCyp@cox.net), November 08, 2004.