Q: Can you explain why baptism outside the Church is valid but marriage outside the Church is not? A: When administered outside the Church, both of these sacraments may be considered valid. But Church law obliges Catholics to wed in the Church or to obtain formal permission to wed outside it (CIC 1108). The New Commentary on the Code of Canon Law explains the reasons: At a pastoral level, the requirement of canonical form provides a privileged opportunity for the Church’s ministers to help couples