Since marriage is one of the Catholic Church’s seven sacraments, a man and woman who wishes to get married in this religious institution must be able to meet the following requirements:

Baptism

A couple doesn’t have to be both Catholic to get married in the Catholic Church. However, both must be baptized as Christians and at least one of them should be baptized Catholic. If not, the marriage will not be permitted. If a person wants to get married to an unbaptized person, he/she must request for a special dispensation from the bishop. When the dispensation is granted, the marriage will be permitted inside a Catholic church but it will not be a sacramental marriage.

Relation

The Catholic Church forbids marriage between close blood relatives such as between siblings, cousins, and uncles and nieces (or aunts and nephews). Before 1983, even marriages between second cousins were not allowed. Today, the Catholic Church has become less strict. Some second-cousin marriages are permitted. Couples who are first cousins who wish to get married may request for a dispensation from the bishop. Although these are now allowed, the Church still discourages these types of marriages.

Previous Marriage

If a person has been married before, he/she may only be allowed to get married again if the spouse has died or if he/she has obtained nullity declaration from the church. Many times, divorce is not honored in the Catholic Church. Also, it’s a must to inform the priest if you or the person you’re marrying has been married before, whether it’s a Catholic ceremony or civil rite.

Opposite Sex Marriage

The Catholic Church defines marriage as a lifetime union between a man and woman. Even as civil marriage, the Church doesn’t recognize and honor marriages between the same sexes. If you want to get married in the Catholic Church, you must marry a person from the opposite sex.

Good Standing

Marriage is a sacrament and for you to be able to receive it, you must be in good standing with the Church. This doesn’t only require attendance during mass but also means following the rules of the Church. For example, a couple who has engaged in immoral behavior may not be allowed to get married in this institution.

If you want to get married in the Catholic Church but you’re not sure if you’re qualified for a valid sacramental marriage, you can talk to your parish priest. This is especially necessary if one of you is not Catholic or had been married before.