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Can ministers from other Christian denominations, for example a United Church Reverend, perform the marriage sacrament in a Catholic Church?

DJClayworth
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user13784
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    Do you mean can they use a Catholic chapel to perform a protestant wedding, or can they perform one that the Catholic church will consider to be a Catholic wedding? – curiousdannii Jun 22 '14 at 01:16
  • And are both, one or neither of the couple Catholic? (I'm looking up the rules at the moment; this might be relevant) – Andrew Leach Jun 22 '14 at 08:22

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According to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops,

It’s popular, and acceptable, for an interfaith couple to invite the non-Catholic spouse’s minister to be present at the wedding. But it’s important to note that, according to canon law, only the priest may officiate at a Catholic wedding. A minister may offer a few words, but he or she may not officiate or preside at a joint ceremony.

While I wouldn't say a non-Catholic marriage in a Catholic church has never happened (and if I did, it would be hard to prove :), but it would be rare at best, akin to holding services for non-Catholic faiths in a Catholic Church.

FYI, for the a Catholic marriage to be considered sacramental, both must be Catholic, and for the marriage to be performed at all requires at least one to be Catholic. (Source)

Paul Draper
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