A reader writes:
I'm no fan of Maggie Gallagher's, but your reader is incorrect in assuming that an interfaith marriage is necessarily evidence of hypocrisy. A marriage between a Catholic and a non-Christian is not considered the sacrament of marriage (understood positively, this means that the Church doesn't force a non-Christian into being part of a sacrament he or she presumably does not believe in) but such interfaith marriages can be recognized as valid by the Catholic church. Gallagher is not necessarily "living in sin." From the US Conference of Catholic Bishops:
4.If a Catholic wants to marry a non-Catholic, how can they assure that the marriage is recognized by the Church? In addition to meeting the criteria for a valid Catholic marriage (see question #3), the Catholic must seek permission from the local bishop to marry a non-Catholic. If the person is a non-Catholic Christian, this permission is called a "permission to enter into a mixed marriage." If the person is a non-Christian, the permission is called a "dispensation from disparity of cult." Those helping to prepare the couple for marriage can assist with the permission process.
Another writes:
As a non-Catholic married to a Catholic, I have to dissent on your reader's assessment that the Catholic Church doesn't sanctify interfaith marriage. Interfaith marriage is allowed so long as the marriage is:
1) Approved by the priest/archbishop
2) Performed in the Catholic Church
3) Procreation is expected and you agree that any resulting children will be raised CatholicNow, the reader isn't entirely wrong, because I doubt there's any priest that would approve of a Catholic marrying a non-Christian, but it's not a cut-and-dry rule that Catholics can only marry Catholics.
The Dish 