Hindu/Catholic Wedding...

PamelaGtoBe

Hello!! In order to honor both of our traditions, DrGtoBe and I are planning two ceremonies...a Hindu in India one month and a Catholic one here in Pennsylvania the following month. Will the Hindu marriage have any bearing on the Catholic? We are not going to live together until both weddings are completed, and the Catholic wedding will be the legal one here. We just felt that we could not fully honor both by mushing them together. I know that some brides do both ceremonies on the same day, so I don't think it will be a problem...I just know that we can't have a full Mass because DrGtoBe is Hindu.

bel138

Honestly, I'm stumped on this one. If you were in the US, the church wouldn't "marry" you, since you would be legally married already; they would do a convalidation. You'll be married according to FI's culture, but not married according to the US government or Catholic church.Have you spoken to a priest yet? Because I have no clue what goes down in this situation.

ootmother2

TarponA non baptized person may not have a nuptial mass.A non Catholic Christian may have one, there is a dispensation for that.

PamelaGtoBe

bel138...thanks for the reply...I have searched and searched through the Catholic Christianity book that I have and haven't found anything yet about it not being possible...but then again that book is a little hard to understand at times. My mom has been talking with our priest, but hasn't mentioned a specific timeline as far as I know (since I get the info from my dad...gotta love whisper down the alley...oy) tarpon...it will just be the rite of marriage since DrGtoBe is non-Christian. and it's India first, since his parents/grandparents have requested that and the weather there is really only good in April, before the real heat sets in.

ring_pop

I don't know very much about your situation but check with the South Asian Weddings board. There are several Hindu-Catholic couples there and I'm sure they'd be really helpful!

Calypso1977

i would think that the hindu wedding would be considered a prior marriage ceremony, therefore requiring you to have a convalidation. generally, the Church frowns on marrying outside of the Church first then coming to them later for a convalidation when its for a reason such as marrying on a beach, marrying in a civil ceremony, or marrying in another faith.  you defintiely need to share the Hindu wedding info with your priest first, if you have not done so already. i also hope you have both come to a clear understanding abotu how any future children will be raised,to avoid headaches later.

ffmaid

I think you need to talk to your priest . I think the Catholic one has to be first in order to be valid but not sure about if other is out of usa and non catholic

amberoye

Well, religiously speaking if you were to have an Indian wedding and you truly accept that as a marriage (and even consummate it), it is considered a mortal sin :O. While I can see religion as a tradition, for many Catholics it is a way of life, not something you honor but rather something you live by day to day. Make sure you check with a priest, I don't know how Pennsylvania is, but down here in San Antonio many of the Catholic Churches in my area wouldn't be too fond of this idea... Good luck!