Catholic-Jewish marriage
Question from Claire on 8/25/2008:
I am Catholic and my boyfriend is Jewish. How could we have a wedding? Would we be allowed to have it in the Church? It is very hard to get a straight answer to this question; and, from doing research, I feel there is a lot of false teaching out there. What does the Church teach?
Answer by Catholic Answers on 8/26/2008:
Claire--
The Church strongly discourages interfaith marriage but provides for its validity if the couple insists on marrying each other. You would need to promise to remain Catholic and do your best to raise any children Catholic. Your boyfriend would need to be made aware of this commitment. (Ideally, he should agree to it as well, but the Church does not require him to sign a statement to that effect.) Then you would need one or two dispensations: One, to marry a non-Christian; and two, to marry in a non-Catholic ritual (should you marry outside of a church).
I strongly advise you to read the Q&A linked below and to carefully reconsider whether you should marry someone who is not Catholic.
Recommended reading:
Is interfaith marriage advisable?
Michelle Arnold
Catholic Answers
Question from Claire on 8/25/2008:
I am Catholic and my boyfriend is Jewish. How could we have a wedding? Would we be allowed to have it in the Church? It is very hard to get a straight answer to this question; and, from doing research, I feel there is a lot of false teaching out there. What does the Church teach?
Answer by Catholic Answers on 8/26/2008:
Claire--
The Church strongly discourages interfaith marriage but provides for its validity if the couple insists on marrying each other. You would need to promise to remain Catholic and do your best to raise any children Catholic. Your boyfriend would need to be made aware of this commitment. (Ideally, he should agree to it as well, but the Church does not require him to sign a statement to that effect.) Then you would need one or two dispensations: One, to marry a non-Christian; and two, to marry in a non-Catholic ritual (should you marry outside of a church).
I strongly advise you to read the Q&A linked below and to carefully reconsider whether you should marry someone who is not Catholic.
Recommended reading:
Is interfaith marriage advisable?
Michelle Arnold
Catholic Answers
I married a southern baptist in 1979 and I am Jewish. There was a reform rabbi who married us. In retrospect it does not really make sense to have a Jewish wedding when you are intermarrying. The wedding ceremony that takes place is filled with references to the Jewish history and past. I might suggest that you take a course on what Judaism is. It truly is a very cool religion.
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