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Catholic question re pregnancy/wedding

10 replies

Daphne33 · 17/01/2018 12:26

We have officially got married at the registry last June in a very small ceremony and due to us and family/friends all being in different countries/relocation/logistics/costs, we had planned the Catholic ceremony (i.e. a bigger wedding as well, which scares me as I don't really enjoy being centre of attention) only for this May. I am now pregnant though (we are feeling very happy & blessed!), and am wondering do we need to do the Catholic church wedding ceremony before we have the child in order for the baby to be baptised into Catholic church?

We are both Catholics and regular attendees of Mass but are not involved in the local parish community here so don't really know anyone to ask (our priest seems quite unapproachable...).

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TheOnlyPink · 17/01/2018 12:31

Hi, congrats on your pregnancy! My husband and I didn't get married in a church. There was no issue having our children baptised Catholics. The old fashioned priest did question why we wanted our children baptised at all if we didn't have a marriage sacrament, but was happy with our reasons (cultural, school access, other family members) second priest for ds 2 didn't even ask.
Catholic priests will baptise children from unmarried parents too!

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Daphne33 · 17/01/2018 13:08

Oh, thank you @TheOnlyPink!

Yes, where I am from (not UK), Catholic church/priests are quite traditional/old-fashioned so I'm sure this question would have been taken awkwardly and our current London priest also seems quite old-fashioned.
If there's no issue to baptise, I wouldn't mind putting off the church wedding ceremony for even longer. I really have some stage fright/shy-awkwardness when it comes to big weddings actually...

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TheOnlyPink · 17/01/2018 14:24

Don't let the baptism dictate your wedding plans, I really can't see it being an issue, even with the strictest of priests. Especially if you are practicing Catholics and he sees you at Mass regularly.

Best of luck!

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gamerpigeon · 17/01/2018 14:31

I got my daughter baptised Catholic - we had a civil ceremony wedding (married for 3 years before daughter arrived) and priest gave us no end of grief about it. Said we weren't really married.

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Randomlywondering · 17/01/2018 14:34

I was 3 months pregnant at my Catholic wedding the priest had no issue baptizing my baby when he was born.
On the whole priests are very happy to baptize babies regardless of the parents' marital status. You have to promise to bring them up in the faith and may be asked to attend a couple of classes bit I can't see the priest refusing you.

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DioneTheDiabolist · 17/01/2018 14:40

Over half of the children baptired in my parish do not have married parents. It isn't a problem in most Catholic churches here.

Congratulations on your wedding and pregnancy.