Can a Catholic person run a non Catholic wedding?

This is a question for the priest. But just a note Catholics are Christians.

I'm not certain I fully understand your question, but I have a very close friend who is a catholic priest. I asked if he could officiate at our ceremony (I'm catholic, FH is not) and it is a non-religious, non-church ceremony. He said he could not because outside of the church he is not recognized as having the authority to marry people in a civil manner. So, he's a guest!

I asked two Catholic priests this week to marry us outside the church at my venue, and act as an officiant. They both said no and one looked almost offended. If youre asking could someone just stand up there and pretend to marry you for show (it sounds worse that I meant it to be) then yes. My day of coordinator said it's been done on several occasions. I wanted to get married legally sooner as well. So yes it can be done, but if he's willing to do it? Probably not

First: Catholics are Christian. If you aren't Catholic, you are a Protestant, but both of you are Christian. *Jumps off Catholic religious historian soapbox and actually tries to answer question.*

I don't know that I understand your question completely. The way I understand it, you're asking if your friend, who is Catholic, can officiate your ceremony, if you have a civil ceremony, not a religious one. If I'm wrong, please correct me.

First, I don't see the difference between the "announcing" and "pronouncing" you're talking about it. In order for your marriage to be recognized in the Catholic church, you either have to get married in the Church, or your fiancé has to receive a dispensation from the bishop. "Announcing" and "pronouncing" are just semantics. If you are asking if a lay Catholic can perform a marriage ceremony without breaking Canon Law--my understanding is no, he cannot. In the Catholic Church, marriage is a sacrament, and therefore must be performed by a priest (the only ones authorized to administer any of the sacraments).

I don't have a deep enough knowledge of Canon Law to tell you for sure. But it might be that even if it isn't technically against Canon Law, your friend as a devout Catholic might not feel comfortable performing your civil ceremony. As a Catholic, I would find it disrespectful to my faith if you asked me to perform a civil ceremony because you didn't want to go through all the paperwork and requirements to get married in the church.

There are real consequences for your fiancé for not marrying in the Catholic Church. Make sure you are familiar with these as you make your wedding plans.

Good luck!

The short answer to your question is "No, as a lay (i.e., someone who is not a Bishop, priest or Deacon) Catholic, you are not allowed to officiate a wedding of a couple if at least one of them was baptized Catholic, unless the Bishop of the local Diocese where the person being asked to officiate resides would give him/her permission to do so because of no Bishop, priest or deacon being available (highly unlikely). If neither of the two looking to be married where baptized Catholic, the answer is still "no" unless the lay Catholic is a judge, justice of the peace or appointed civil officiant. There are two principles to keep in mind here: First, a Catholic cannot accept "ordination" in a non-Catholic church because such "ordination" is invalid and because it gives the appearance that one has joined and ministers in a non-Catholic church. Second, assuming that there are no obvious impediments to marriage (e.g., previous marriage, the couple is of the same gender, etc.), a lay Catholic who is qualified by the state to preside at civil marriages may do so for non-Catholics who are not bound by Catholic marital law.
In short, although a Catholic may not try to become "ordained" in a non-Catholic church in order to officiate at a civil wedding, if he is qualified by the state by some other licit means to preside at civil weddings (e.g., judge, justice of the peace, appointed civil officiant), he can preside at a civil wedding under the conditions mentioned above.
Here is the long answer:Canon Law is the law that governs the Catholic Church and its members. Here are a few of the applicable Canon Laws that pertain to the lay Catholic who was asked to officiate at the wedding:Can. 1112 §1. Where there is a lack of priests and deacons, the diocesan bishop can delegate lay persons to assist at marriages, with the previous favorable vote of the conference of bishops and after he has obtained the permission of the Holy See.
§2. A suitable lay person is to be selected, who is capable of giving instruction to those preparing to be married and able to perform the matrimonial liturgy properly.
Can. 1379 In addition to the cases mentioned in ⇒ can. 1378, a person who simulates the administration of a sacrament is to be punished with a just penalty.
These are the Church laws that pertain to the lay Catholic being asked by the couple to officiate at the wedding. If you have additional questions about this, asking your pastor is probably your best bet.
If one or more of those asking to be married were baptized Catholic, there are Church laws that pertain to them too. If you this is the case with this couple, it would be best if the person baptized contacted the local Catholic parish and ask to talk to a priest about this.
My suggestion is the lay Catholic being asked to officiate at the wedding respond to the couple saying something along the lines of, "I'm honored that you thought of me for officiating at your wedding, but unfortunately because of my Catholic faith/beliefs, I am not able to do so. I'm sure you will be able to find someone else who is a better fit for this important role."

View Quoted Comment

Just a little correction, priests are not the only ones authorized to administer any of the sacraments. Weddings, confessions, confirmations, yes. Baptism, last rites (in emergencies), do not need to be conducted by a priest.

Only a priest or bishop, and not a lay person or even a deacon (emergency or not) can administer Last Rites, which is a Sacrament.

Both of you are Christian. In order for the Catholic ceremony to be considered valid by the Church, it must be performed indoors on their property by a priest, no one else. I'm assuming you are not in the US since you mentioned a civil vs religious ceremony. Otherwise is there some reason that you can't have the priest marry you in one religious and legal ceremony?