These are Sacramental Marriages between a Roman Catholic adult man or a woman with a Baptized non-Roman Catholic Christian adult man or a woman belonging to a non-Catholic Christian denomination (Anglican, Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Church of South India etc.) special permission must be obtained from the Diocesan Bishop to contract these Marriages. The documentation process must begin by the Couple meeting the Parish Priest of the Catholic party personally at least six months ahead of the planned date of Marriage.

Therefore, the pastoral concern of the Church today demands more than ever that the holiness of marriage be safeguarded in conformity with Catholic doctrine and that the faith of the Catholic spouse and the Catholic education of the offspring be guaranteed, even in mixed marriages, with the greatest possible diligence and effectiveness. Such pastoral care is even more necessary because, as it has been noted, there are many opinions held by non-Catholics that are at odds with Catholic doctrine about the essential qualities and properties of marriage, in particular regarding indissolubility, and consequently divorce and a subsequent marriage after civil divorce. Thus, the Church recognizes its duty to forewarn the faithful not to run the risk of endangering their faith, either spiritually or materially. The Church therefore take every precaution to instruct those who intend to contract marriage regarding its nature, its properties, the obligations inherent in marriage itself, and the dangers to avoid.

Furthermore, it cannot be ignored in this regard that Catholics must take into account what has been solemnly defined in the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council through the Decree “de Oecumenismo,” in the course of conduct with our brethren separated from the Catholic Church. This new discipline suggests that the severity of the present legislation be attenuated with respect to mixed marriage, not in regards divine law, but in relation to the ecclesiastical norms that our separated brethren sometimes consider offensive.

Care should be taken to preserve the Faith of the Catholic Party by explaining the non-Catholic party the following factors:

  1. Preservation and the nurturing of the Catholic Faith of the Catholic spouse and the children
    1. 1) The criterion should be kept in mind that it is always necessary to avoid any risk to the faith of the Catholic spouse and that the Catholic education of the children should always be diligently provided for.
    2. 2) The local Ordinary or the pastor of the Catholic party should take care to inculcate in grave terms the obligation of providing a Catholic baptism and the Catholic education for offspring: In fulfillment of this obligation, guarantees should be required by means of the explicit promise of the Catholic spouse as a precaution.
    3. 3) The non-Catholic party, with appropriate delicacy but also in clear terms, should be informed about the Catholic doctrine regarding the dignity of marriage, and especially about its principal properties, name unity and indissolubility. The non-Catholic party should also be informed about the grave obligation for the Catholic spouse to protect, preserve, and practice his or her own faith and to baptize and educate any offspring to be born in the same faith.
    4. Because this obligation must be guaranteed, even the non-Catholic spouse is invited to promise, openly and sincerely, that he or she will not create any obstacle to the fulfillment of this obligation. If the non-Catholic later believes that he or she cannot make this promise without harming his or her own conscience, the Ordinary should refer the case with all its elements to the Holy See.
    5. 4) Although these promises are ordinarily to be made in writing, it is nevertheless within the discretion of the Ordinary – whether as a general rule or case by case – to establish whether these promises are to be made in writing or not, whether they are to be made by the Catholic party, the non-Catholic party, or both, and also to determine if they should be recorded in the marriage documents.
  2. If it should happen, as sometimes occurs in certain regions, that the Catholic education of the children is truly impossible, not because of the wishes of the spouse but rather because of the laws and customs of the people which the parties are not able to circumvent, the local Ordinary, having considered these circumstances, can dispense from this impediment provided that the Catholic party is willing, in so far as possible, to do everything he or she can to have the children born of the marriage baptized and educated as Catholics, likewise provided that there are guarantees of the good will of the non-Catholic party.In granting these permissions, the Church is animated also by the hope that the civil laws adverse to human liberty may be abrogated, as well as those that prohibit the Catholic education of offspring or the exercise of the Catholic faith, and that the force of natural law in these matters be recognized.
  3. In celebration of mixed marriages, canonical form must be observed according to the provisions of canon 1094 as well as that which is required for the validity of the marriage itself. If, however, there are difficulties, the Ordinary must refer the case with all its elements to the Holy See.
  4. In regards to the liturgical form, and derogating from canons 1102 §3 and §4, and 1109 §3, local Ordinaries are granted the faculty to permit the use of sacred rites in the celebration of mixed marriages, with the customary blessing and discourse.
  5. Any simultaneous celebration in the presence of a Catholic priest and a non-Catholic minister exercising their respective rites must be absolutely avoided. Nevertheless, it is not forbidden that the non-Catholic minister address some words of encouragement or exhortation following the religious ceremony and that some of the prayers be recited in common with the non-Catholic. This provision can be adopted with the consent of the local Ordinary and with necessary precautions taken to avoid the danger of wonder.
  6. Local Ordinaries and pastors are to attentively monitor that the families originating from mixed marriages lead a holy life in conformity with the promises made, especially regarding the instruction and Catholic education of the offspring.
  7. The excommunication prescribed by canon 2319 ​​§1, 1° for those who celebrate a marriage before a non-Catholic minister is abrogated. The effects of this abrogation are retroactive.

SACRED CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH: INSTRUCTION ON MIXED MARRIAGES Given in Rome, March 18, 1966.