inter relegion marriage QUESTION from Vipin on November 12, 2002 Dear Sir,
This is in regard to my and my loved ones life. I'm from India and I follow Hinduism and I love a girl who belongs to Roman Catholic. She also loves me a lot and we had decided to live together and her parents came to know about this and then they dint allow us to contact and they have fixed a marriage for her forcefully. her father threatened her that he will kill himself if she dosenot listen to him,and she is very afraid and is unwilingly listening to him.My parents are open minded and my mother has already said yest to this relation. I have no time left and things are happeningtoo fast. pls advice me how we can be together, will the priest in the local church help us? or will the holiness from the vathican or some high spirutual mission guide her father in not seperating two loving hearts? by this they are hurting three lifes. mine, her and the guy who si goingto marry her without knowing anything. pls do advice sir, I dont have any go or anyone to ask that is why i have searched for this site and asked for your advice pls help, pls help.
Vipin
ANSWER by John-Paul Ignatius, OLSM on November 19, 2002 Dear Vipin:
The church does not encourage inter-religion marriages and such marriages are invalid UNLESS you get permission from the Bishop.
To get permission there must be an agreement that the children will be raised Catholic 100%,that nothing will stand in the way of the Catholic spouse from exercising the Catholic Faith and that the marriage must be a Catholic marriage in a Catholic Church before a Catholic Priest.
So, you and your intended spouse needs to contact the local parish priest and see what procedures are needed to get permission from the bishop to marry.
In terms of the father trying to force the Catholic daughter to marry someone, this is illegal in the Catholic Church. A forced wedding is invalid.
In terms of the Father threatening suicide, it sounds like this man is in need of professional care.
Discuss all this with the local parish priest and then go from there.
We will be praying for you and her and the whole situation.
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