Can a Catholic marry a non-Catholic, and what permissions are required?
Yes. A marriage between a Catholic and a baptized non-Catholic Christian is a 'mixed marriage' requiring episcopal permission. A marriage between a Catholic and an unbaptized person is 'disparity of cult' requiring a dispensation for validity. In both cases, the Catholic party must sincerely promise to preserve their Catholic faith and do everything in their power to have all children baptized and brought up in the Catholic Church, and the non-Catholic partner must be informed of this commitment.
Sources
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 1633-1637
- 1 Corinthians 7:12-16
Awaiting review by the chaplaincy. Written in our own words; the Church's own texts are the authority.