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Expert: Fr. Timothy Johnson - 3/1/2009


Question
Hello Fr. Johnson;

I just finished reading your response to another question of very similar nature to mine: http://en.allexperts.com/q/Catholics-955/2008/10/marrying-church-city-hall-1.htm and I wanted to know what you think about my current situation.

I recently got engaged to a Canadian citizen. We are planning to have a Catholic wedding there in March of 2010 and after we want to be able to live together right away in the states. This brings up multiple problems where immigration is concerned.

There are two processes we can go through, option 1 is a K1 visa that would allow her to enter the US as my fiance and get married here and then stay here afterwards and option 2 is to go ahead with our ceremony in Canada and then file for a K3 visa for her to come here as my spouse - it could take up to a year for her to be able to join me. We really don't want to have to be apart after we are married so we don't like option 2. What we are considering is getting the fiance visa and getting married in the US legally and then going back to Canada to be married in the Church. We will not be co-habitating after the ceremony in the US or consummating the marriage.

Is this okay? If not could we have a small Catholic ceremony in the US and then have some sort of ceremony in Canada? We are trying to find best way to stay within the Church's teachings while working through the political red-tape to be able to live together in the US following our ceremony in Canada.

Thank you very much, I apologize for the length of the question.

Answer
Hi, Scott:
Thanks for the question.
I really think you need to work with the Churches and Priests known to each of you to best sort out these more complex details involving visas, etc. and entering into a lawful Catholic Marriage.
Always be mindful that getting married in the Catholic Church does not mean big, impressive ceremony... It has to do with getting married in and by the Authority of the Catholic Church as Catholics.  As far as I know, a lawful Catholic Marriage is all done within one, single ceremony at some scheduled time.  Any additional things later would be something at most like a "renewal of wedding vows," which, of course, is not the actual marriage ceremony.
I like your guiding principle: "to find the best way to stay within the Church's teachings while working through the political red-tape..."  I wish you the very best of everything!

Fr. Timothy Johnson

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Fr. Timothy Johnson

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A Traditional Catholic Priest, validly and licitly ordained, incardinated legally and canonically in the Diocese of Fargo, and in good-standing with my Local Ordinary (Bishop) on active assignment at a rural Tri-Parish. I can provide honest and balanced answers to questions on topics pertaining to Traditional Roman Catholicism of the Latin Church (Councils of Trent and Vatican II)and a lot about the Eastern Catholic Churches, including the Sacred Liturgy, Sacred Scripture, Church History, the use of the Latin language, the tradition of Sacred Music, and current events in the Catholic Church from a traditional, historical and balanced perspective.

Experience

I have been ordained a Roman Catholic Priest since June 2001.

Organizations
Knights of Columbus; Church Music Association of America (CMAA)

Education/Credentials
Ordained Priest, 02 JUN 2001; Ordained Deacon, 27 JAN 2001; MA - Dogmatic/Systematic Theology; MDiv - Professional Degree from Seminary; 2-Years formation with Canons Regular of Premontre including studies and experience in Sacred Liturgy, Chant, Latin, Sacraments, Spirituality. BA - Scholastic/Thomistic Philosophy; BA - Liberal Arts; AA - General Studies.

Past/Present Clients
I serve 3-small, rural Parish Communities in Easter North Dakota
I converted to the Roman Catholic Church in 1981, at the age of 15. Over the years I have done work as an organist, cantor, and choir director for the Latin Rite (English & Latin) Mass (Liturgy of the Eucharist), and even for the Hours of the Divine Office. I have worked as a cantor for a Melkite Byzantine Catholic Church. Presently my pastoral and administrative duties as a Catholic Priest do not allow me as much time as I used to have to devote to Sacred Music; but for my weekend Masses and Solemnities within my Tri-Parish, I offer High Sung Mass in English. Weekday Mass is typically Low Mass (recited Mass) in English, though on occasion I will offer the "Tridentine Mass" in Latin, which I usually offer on my "Day Off", as well. And now, in light of the "Motu Proprio" by his Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI placing the extraordinary usage of the Roman Rite back into the mainstream of the Catholic Church, I have been offering a regularly scheduled SUN, 2:00 PM Tridentine Latin Mass with a community of the faithful that has a stable existence.

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