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A modern dictionary of 5,679 Catholic terms (including abbreviations), both common and obscure. Find accurate definitions of words and phrases. All items in this dictionary are from Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.

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Term

MIXED MARRIAGE PROMISES

Definition

The commitment required of the Catholic party in a marriage with a non-Catholic. As expressed in the apostolic letter of Pope Paul VI in 1970, this commitment involves two things: "The Catholic party shall declare that he is ready to remove dangers of falling from the faith. He is also gravely bound to make a sincere promise to do all in his power to have all the children baptized and brought up in the Catholic Church" (Matrimonia Mixta, norm 4). In many countries, e.g., the United States, the bishop's conference further specifies that, to obtain a dispensation for a mixed marriage, these promises by made orally or in writing as the Catholic prefers.