Expert: Fr. Timothy Johnson - 4/6/2011

Question
Hello. I'm engaged. We are both catholic and have our documentation in order to be married my the catholic church. Our engagement encounter is at the end of the month. Here's the problem: we want to get married somewhere besides a. Church. Not outdoors its a old state theatre downtown.  I know this is almost impossible since the bishop at my diocese does not like giving dispensation for that. I know there are a few websites that claim they can have a catholic priest do a wedding anywhere but they are not roman catholic. Also a friend of mine told me about a priest that used to be nearby that can help me. I found it hard to believe. It turns out he is a priest but the bishop told him not to practice his profession (for lack of a better term) . So I figure my wedding would not be valid. Correct? Also can I get permission from a different bishop or after I have my wedding can I have a diffrent bishop approve my wedding after it happens from out state or out of country? I hope I'm explaining myself. Please help.

Answer
Hi, Liliana:

First of all congratulations and best wishes on getting all your marriage prep and paperwork in order for a valid sacramental marriage by the Authority of the Church.  You are correct that the renegade Priest you mention does not have the faculties (Apostolic Authority from Bishop) to witness and bless a Catholic Marriage.  Shame on him and other Priests like him who presume to do such outrageous things.  I cannot but observe that such a Priest has no care or regard for the salvation of souls: what a pity.
I urge you: do not sabatoge your chance for a valid sacramental marriage, since everything is in order just to satisfy some sentimental wish and arbitrary desire for a wedding outside a church designated for the celebration of the Sacrament of Marriage.  I think it would be good for you and your future spouse to go in more depth about the nature and importance of celebrating the Sacrament of Marriage as a vocation as Catholics in full communion with the Church.
Read and meditate on the life of Jacob and Esau in the book of Genesis in the Bible.  The moral of this lesson is very much related: Esau sells his birthright and blessings from God for a mere bowl of stew in order to satisfy his immediate appetite and craving without regard for the long-term Covenant Relationship with God.
I am not certain I understand the final part of your question.  Are you asking whether you can have a second wedding ceremony?  No such thing.  A couple can renew their vows with a Priest or Deacon at church some years down the line, such as for a milestone anniversary, among the people of the local parish community where they have been practicing their Catholic Faith and attending Mass every Sunday and Holy Day of Obligation for many years.  Please, place your focus more squarely on the Sacrament of Marriage - not just a fanciful idea and imagination of some wedding ceremony, any old place, without any regard for whether it is valid or not, and no cconcern for your eternal salvation in Christ in full communion with His Church.
On the other hand: Are you asking whether another Bishop from outside your area can give permission for your area?  NO.  The Church does not function that way.  The Bishop of your area is technically called the "Local Ordinary."  He is the ONLY one invested with the Authority of Jesus Christ through Apostolic Succession to administrate his own local Diocese, and not the Diocese of any another Bishop, vice-versa.
You are both Catholic, so I would hope you would want to celebrate this wonderful Sacrament of Marriage in Church and in accord with Church Law, in communion with the Bishop.  I wish you the very best.  Don't let petty concerns ruin the good thing you have going, even if there are renegades, justices of the peace, protestants, and heretics that would feign to help you with a ceremony outside of what God is calling you to in your Catholic life in communion with the Bishop and the Universal Catholic Church.
God bless you; and I wish you the very best!

Fr. Timothy Johnson