Interfaith Wedding Help

This might be long, but I hope this helps....

I think who you choose to officialte your wedding depends on if you want your marriage recognized by the Church for your FH... not sure if where or by whom marries you matters in the Jewish faith, it may, but i will speak from the catholic perspective.

For a Catholic, for the marriage to be recognized as a Sacrament (this may or may not be important to your FH, but will determine who you use), the Catholic and their spouse MUST attend Pre-Cana classes as well as get married IN a catholic church. there are some exceptions to the location of the ceremony... usually only in an inter-faith situation. there is also Church paperwork (called dispensations) that must be filled out by a priest on behalf of the Catholic.

A friend of mine married a Jewish guy and got married in the cathedral, but they were able to find a rabbi that would come in (this is rare, he was not able to use the family's usual rabbi, this woman was more 'liberal.')

My FSIL married a Jewish guy and they got married outside by a rabbi and priest, but because she got the dispensation and they comepleted Pre-Cana it was recognized as a Sacrament for her.

It can get tricky because most rabbis will not go inside a Church and most priests will not go inside a synagouge. It can be done however with some patience and paperwork! i think it all depends on what's important to you both religiously.

Many of the priests on here are de-frocked priests (which means they are no longer practicing priests, which means they are not entitled or allowed to officiate sacraments). If your FH wants to receive the Sacrament of Marriage through the Church, he cannot go with one of these priests. it would be recongnized by the state of new york, but not by the Catholic Church.

I would contact the Diocese of Rockville Centre. www.drvc.org and/or your FH's church to find out where you need to begin . I know that Msgr. Lisante, an AWESOME priest, does a lot of inter-faith weddings. I would also contact your rabbi, or someone in the Jewish clergy and see what you might have to do there.

GOOD LUCK to you!