Can a Catholic Marry a Non-Catholic?

Father Mike answers one of the most common questions he receives, pointing out that Catholics marrying non-Catholics is not an issue of sin but an issue of wisdom. Since marriage is naturally so difficult, he argues, the wise decision would be to marry someone who is on the same page with you when it comes to your faith. The reasons for this are endless, and Father Mike is passionate about all of them. The most important thing to remember, though, is that loving Jesus and the Catholic Church is not an imposition, so don't be afraid to make your faith the cornerstone of your marriage.

Fr. Mike is also a presenter in these faith formation programs from Ascension:

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SOCIAL MEDIA

[suseelas.]

I'm non Catholic. I got married to Catholic. After a year and half of marriage. I decided to become Catholic. I will be baptised in April next year. My first Sunday Mass was tears with happiness.

[Bhuntethegolden]

I’m Hindu my boyfriend is catholic. He took me to the mass and I’m telling you I was in tears when it ended. My heart felt so nice. ❤️

[OnlyOneOri]

I married a non-Catholic and after 18 years of a beautiful marriage, he decided to become a Catholic. I never pressured him and eventually he felt called to convert. Maybe sometimes we are placed in another's life to lead them to the faith. I truly believe God had a plan for our marriage. We have now been married for 20 years and have a 16 year old son whom is also a practicing Catholic.

[sylviamar]

I married a non practicing protestant. It was hard to go to Mass because “I was always messing up the family programs”. I prayed a lot for him, and for us. And in the hardness of time, the Holy Spirit illuminated me. We moved far away with our kids, and after 1 year abroad, he started paying attention to the Gospel, also thanks to the pandemic. Last year on May 2021 he was baptized, had his first communion and confirmation. 🙏🏻 So it was worth going through this path

[vanisaurio]

My husband was agnostic and was "ok" with me being Catholic. 11 years later he is the one that iniates prayers and sometimes I think he has more faith in God than I have.

[dominiquer.]

My mom is Catholic and she married my dad when he was Jewish. My dad decided to become Catholic after they were married for a year. ❤

[DSkye-nm]

In the 1940’s my mother converted to Catholicism right before she married my Dad. She came from a Protestant background but she did it to please everyone. A woman true to her word, she raised us Catholic and brought us to Mass every Sunday. She was quite a woman, not only did she faithfully watch Fr Fulton Sheen but she never missed out on any Billy Graham tv special and sometimes she’d cry. She taught me to believe in God but to love God and to access God through both these preachers. Today, I’m still Catholic but I sure do love watching Joyce Meyers when I get a chance. In fact God used Joyce Meyers to bring me back to the Catholic Church…she made me want to go back to church and I slipped back to where I belonged. God works in mysterious ways. God bless my ma and dad.

[liddyfordham]

Thank you Father Mike. Your talk makes so much sense - wisdom. I have been married for 44 years to a non Catholic and he has never joined me at any Mass apart from Baptism, Holy Communion. There have been many times when I have been at Mass and with tears in my eyes wished that we could be there together as I watched couples, young and old with families at Mass. My consolation is knowing that as I sit there alone, my Lord, my Eucharistic love, is at the altar waiting for me with arms wide open. 💞

[pujaghosh]

I was a non Christian in love with a Catholic. Thanks to him, I found my faith in Jesus so strong that I got baptized in the church that came to my head first. Now after 8 years of our marriage, finally I am a strong Catholic preparing to become a Catechist soon... Hallelujah

[clairesmith]

My mom is catholic and my dad was RAISED Pentecostal. However, a few years into the marriage, my dad realized that he wants to be catholic but he wanted to wait. Now, he wants my brother and I (23 and 18) to be his sponsors for becoming catholic. I’m so excited about it.

[melissachong]

Thank you Fr Mike! I'm Catholic been married to a non Catholic for 18 years. You're right, it can be hard, but praise God, love makes all things possible! A marriage is a covenant between 2 people and God. If the person God has chosen for you is not a Catholic, trust in His wisdom that it will work 🙏

[Juloletterwriter]

My late grandmother married my grandpa in 1929, a time when spouses were frequently pressured to convert. Grandpa believed in God but had never been baptized. He finally decided to become Catholic after they had been married 35 years, and he was a very good Catholic.

Years after he had passed away I asked Grandma why Grandpa didn't convert when they first got married. She explained that she knew too many couples where one person joined the Catholic church due to family pressure, but then they resented it and dropped out.

Ladies, when you marry a non-Catholic, don't pressure him. You can't make him Catholic. He has to do it himself. Quit bugging him, but definitely pray for him.

[marthar]

I married a non-Catholic thankfully he was a strong Christian. I am a devout cradle Catholic. When I met my husband I told him specifically that I hope your in this for the long haul...I want my children raised Catholic and we can never get divorced (I said it half jokingly sorta :)). He always attended Catholic mass and was very supportive of my faith. Our kids have been raised Catholic as I hoped. Fast forward 14 years later, he got confirmed as a Catholic last year. He came to this decision on his own. His reason for this decision: our oldest got confirmed this year and he felt compelled to do it and to be an example for our children. I thank the Lord for working through my husband because he is a wonderful Catholic.

[darshani]

I'm a Hindu born into a super conservative family, but I practice faith secretly and I'm happy that I found Christ. It's a beautiful feeling when you pray and I can surely say, my life has changed after I believed in Christ.
Amen.

[ThePinkMyth]

I was always a devout Catholic but when I met my husband, I was exploring other spiritual ideas. We got married by a nondenominational Christian minister. We’ve had many conflicts and challenges. Since then, I have returned to my Catholic roots. Our daughter is baptized and attends Catholic school but my husband isn’t interested in returning to Catholicism himself. Sometimes I wish I had found a truly Catholic spouse; other times I just resign myself that this is one of the crosses (of many) that I have to bear. Without him, I wouldn’t have my daughter. But, I do pray she finds a wonderful Catholic husband one day.

[johnbernadettelewis]

I give my late husband, and the Holy Spirit, all the credit for me remaining and growing in my faith. We were ten years together when he made his first Communion and Confirmation. He was at my side in the pews at Mass from the first Sunday after we met. I am so thankful and feel very blessed, for the time we were given together, 4 years before we married and 46 years married. He was a wonderful husband and father to our four children and I miss him very much. May he rest in peace.

[jacquelineharrod]

I married a non Catholic. He became Catholic one year later. One our daughters is now an enclosed nun.😁

[MegaMantim]

I Married my Catholic Wife 37 years ago and was a smug agnostic...I converted to Catholicism at the 24th year...I never had the nerve to say there was no God and I really started to believe there was a Hell...I read the "Suprised by the Truth " books by Patrick Madrid...I was welcome into the Church on April 15th of 2005 ...It was the most important day of my existence and our Marriage is most excellent...My Wife told me she Prayed for my cold Heart everyday for conversion right up to my Baptism...God is Great and Life is good...Peace to all...

[anthonynales]

My father was never religious but raised Protestant. He and my mother married in the Catholic Church in 1975. He went to mass with us a lot. Eventually he became Catholic around 10 years before he passed away from cancer at age 67. He received his last rites.

[mariachierry]

I’m going on my 23rd year of marriage with my non catholic husband. Don’t get me wrong, I love him, but if I was to redo, I would definitely marry a Catholic. So I agree, but you can’t just marry a Catholic, be sure to marry a practicing/devoted Catholic. If you marry a Catholic who isn’t practicing their faith, you might as well have married a non Catholic.