Hi Sitetest,
Noted, I learn new things everyday too. On your first point my knowledge of these specifics is at its limits, so I won’t pretend to offer any more helpful information on what distinctions are made within a blessing. I’m just simply asserting that it is not the sacrament of marriage. For me, it was important to marry someone that could make that sacrament with me in the Catholic church. Thus, I was looking for confirmed Catholics only, or someone who was willing to go through the conversion process fully.
I was lucky the girl I married had a step-father who had her baptized at 5 and then supported her mother and her through communion and confirmation later (and her mother who converted from Lutheran), which later in her life made that possible for us! Her original father was a non-practicing Anglican.
“...any more helpful information on what distinctions are made within a blessing. I’m just simply asserting that it is not the sacrament of marriage.”
Where folks say their marriage was “blessed,” and the underlying meaning is convalidation or sanation, the actual blessing - that is, the convalidation or the sanation - is not, itself, the sacrament of marriage. That's true. But that's because the sacrament has already been conferred, if not validly. The “blessing” is the thing that makes the sacrament between the two people valid.
People whose marriages have been so blessed do have, indeed, valid Catholic sacramental marriages. The anniversary date of their valid marriage is the date of the original ceremony that was subsequently blessed.
“Thus, I was looking for confirmed Catholics only, or someone who was willing to go through the conversion process fully.”
Although I personally advocate that practicing Catholics marry other practicing Catholics ONLY, it isn't a requirement for a truly Catholic, truly valid, sacramental marriage. I am personally happy to know that my older son is dating seriously a beautiful young lady who has agreed to be received into the Catholic Church before they marry. Thus, I affirm your wish to marry another practicing Catholic. It's just that a marriage can still be sacramental, valid, and Catholic with a non-Catholic party.
sitetest