Can a Catholic marry against his parents' wishes if both he and the girl are Catholic?
A viewer asks whether he can go against the will of his parents to marry the girl he likes if both of them are Catholic.
Answer
Yes, because it is assumed that if you are of marriageable age you are mature enough to make your own decision. If you are a teenager, you had better listen to your parents; but if you are an adult past 21, your parents really do not have any hold on you. Legally, after 18 in the United States, once you reach the age of adulthood where you can own property and sign contracts, you make your own decisions. Now in some countries, and among Hispanic and Asian cultures, there is the honor of the parent, where you try to please them and respect their advice as much as you can so as not to strain the relationship, and that is true practically speaking here as well. But there may come a time when the parents will not budge and you are in love with this potential spouse, and you have to make a decision. You are going to have to live with the consequences whichever way you go, but you can make that decision legally without your parents' approval.