Annulment approved, communion?

[Corki]

I want the marriage convalidated for my sake as a catholic. OK yes I agree, we are not married in the eyes of the catholic church, living as brother and sister for 12 years as it was put earlier. If we marry in the catholic church now, and they (wife and kids) continue as Presbyterians, does that make the marriage invalid? I can’t make them convert, but I plan to help lead them and educate them as best I can in hope that they will convert eventually. I was counseled and told that this would be OK.

It doesn’t sound like you were living as brother and sister the last 12 years. If that were the case, you could have confessed the marriage outside the Church and nothing would have kept you from Communion.

No, the fact that your family is Presbyterian does not make the marriage invalid. The marriage is invalid because you, as a Catholic, married outside the Church. When you are married in the Church, assuming you get the proper permissions to marry a non-Catholic, you will have a valid and Sacramental marriage. I hope that happens soon so you can end this wondering and get on with being married and being Catholic.

 

[catholicskater]

It doesn’t sound like you were living as brother and sister the last 12 years. If that were the case, you could have confessed the marriage outside the Church and nothing would have kept you from Communion.

I agree.

No, the fact that your family is Presbyterian does not make the marriage invalid. The marriage is invalid because you, as a Catholic, married outside the Church. When you are married in the Church, assuming you get the proper permissions to marry a non-Catholic, you will have a valid and Sacramental marriage. I hope that happens soon so you can end this wondering and get on with being married and being Catholic.

I have proper permission, but I will confirm. Thank you.

 

[joandarc2008]

OK my apologies - I see where the miscommunication was - when you said the children were baptized on a Catholic forum it sounded like the children were baptized Catholic.

Here is another question, what about any other children that comes as a gift from the marriage - you will be required by Sacrament to bring them up Catholic from the start -is that a problem - and how does your wife feel about NFP?

 

[mountaintop]

Great sugestions I’ve got the “if you want me to ask you to marry me” card in my hand, but that could eventually backfire The brother sister thought… I’m not sure it’s truely doable long term without issues, thus the need to get this marriage done ASAP. I really need to take this one step at a time. I’m getting back in union with my Catholic faith, and then next I will work towards the whole family becoming catholic, but she is not going to go along with formally raising the kids Catholic yet. I am doing it informally, but still not as it should be. I’m praying that my example and the Holy Spirit will help inspire them as we move down this path.

It certainly would be easier for me to convert to her church, but fortunately that’s not an option I will persist and endure as best I can.

Exodus 20:12 (New International Version, ©2010)

12 “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.

pray the rosay for your wifes conversion mother knows best:

 

[felsguy]

My wife’s previous marriage was recently annulled. We were married before her previous marriage was annulled, but I did take steps to verify somewhat that she had a case for annulment before proceeding in her church. She is obviously not catholic, but I am. Now that I’m no longer in a state of sin being married to her, can I go to confession and then communion? We are waiting to get a date set to have our marriage validated in the catholic church, but am I required to do that before receiving communion? It’s been 20+ years since I have received communion and now that I have returned to the church I’m anxious to get back on track and closer to Jesus again.

Thank you in advance,

CatholicSkater

Dear brother

Let me repeat the one piece of sound advice that has been offered by several others here, namely, consult with your priest. Only he knows (or will know) your exact circumstances and what precise course of action you will need to follow.

You give every evidence of wanting to know and do the proper thing. Don’t be discouraged by others judging you based on their conjecture or personal opinions. This is after all just a forum.

May Jesus continue to walk with you in this journey.

 

[joandarc2008]

Dear brother

Let me repeat the one piece of sound advice that has been offered by several others here, namely, consult with your priest. Only he knows (or will know) your exact circumstances and what precise course of action you will need to follow.

You give every evidence of wanting to know and do the proper thing. Don’t be discouraged by others judging you based on their conjecture or personal opinions. This is after all just a forum.

May Jesus continue to walk with you in this journey.

This is good advice and please also don’t get weighted down by those including me asking questions and playing advocate - it is a forum as the above poster said. Unfortuately one of the reasons some people come to forums is their situations do not lend themselves to talking it out and there are red flags so over and over here on CAF we get the bad stories. It is a depressing view from time to time. God bless and good luck.