Can you become a Priest if you've had an annulment?

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I was baptized Catholic and receive communion for years, but then as a child my family left the Church. I then got married in a non Catholic ceremony, so I can get an annulment.

I’m wondering if I would be able to join the priesthood though? Are Catholics allowed to join the seminary if they’ve had an annulment?
 
In general, yes, it is possible. If you still have legal obligations to the child of that marriage, then at best you could expect to wait until the child is an adult, per whatever custody/child support arrangement there is.

But I will caution you that while in general it is possible, mileage may vary, and some dioceses or religious orders may have tighter admission standards. Some vocations directors might be reluctant to admit someone with a previous marriage, depending on the circumstances. Your best bet is to ask the vocations director.

And note as well, the priesthood isn’t just a consolation prize for not being married. It’s something God must call you to, and you must discern that calling in obedience to the Church.

-Fr ACEGC
 
Some converts are allowed to become priests while being married, so yes, especially if there’s an annulment. But, as said earlier, you should see if there is a calling or not.
 
At least one diocese I know of won’t even consider applicants for the diaconate who have had an annulment. I think it’s a very much diocese-by-diocese thing.
 
a bishop must be irreproachable, married only once, temperate, self-controlled, decent, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not aggressive, but gentle, not contentious, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, keeping his children under control with perfect dignity; for if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how can he take care of the church of God?
1 Timothy 3:2-5
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This is one of the oldest lists of the characteristics desired in a priest. It does not bode well for those with an annullment, but I doubt it completely excludes them. It very much depends on the details.
 
edward_george1 said:
But I will caution you that while in general it is possible, mileage may vary, and some dioceses or religious orders may have tighter admission standards. Some vocations directors might be reluctant to admit someone with a previous marriage, depending on the circumstances.
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Pitcairn17 said:
At least one diocese I know of won’t even consider applicants for the diaconate who have had an annulment. I think it’s a very much diocese-by-diocese thing.
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This is unfortunate. I thought part of vocations was getting the best men you can get, regardless of less-than-perfect life backgrounds. I think a man who has been through things like divorce and raising a family would be uniquely qualified to minister to the faithful who are in these situations, and to uphold the traditional teachings of the Church as they apply to marriage and divorce — “I may have failed at this, but perhaps through my experience I can help others not to fail”.

I speak from experience, as I am both divorced and a father (with no annulment due to complicated circumstances that cannot be discussed here, it could happen one day). I probably won’t do it, but I have not completely ruled out discerning a vocation after my son is grown. Age could be an issue, but crotchety, curmudgeonly old priests are not totally unheard of 🤯

(Does the exploding head emoji look like a red beretta, or is that just me?)
 
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I do know of a handful of cases where it’s happened - it may not be acceptable everywhere, but it has been in some places in the past.
 
HomeschoolDad said:
curmudgeonly
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I once heard a homily by a Jesuit priest where he talked about his calling to the priesthood after being divorced with two or three children. It was a moving homily actually. For this particular priest, it was a redemption on some level…I’m certainly not saying you need redemption…I’m just saying that for this particular priest it came across that way in his homily. The Jesuits do take older men…late 40’s…Ignatius, the Jesuit’s most influential founder, was ordained a priest in his late 40’s which was pretty old back then.

I think every Jesuit priest I’ve ever seen and met is a bit curmudgeonly…in a good way if that is possible…even the young ones. You might fit in pretty well there 🧐.
 
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jack63 said:
For this particular priest, it was a redemption on some level…I’m certainly not saying you need redemption
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Oh, but I do, I definitely do.
jack63 said:
I think every Jesuit priest I’ve ever seen and met is a bit curmudgeonly…in a good way if that is possible…even the young ones. You might fit in pretty well there 🧐.
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I was just having a bit of fun with the curmudgeonly stereotype. Actually I am quite the sweetheart 😘 My son is the one who thinks I’m ancient and hopelessly behind the times. Someone has to be.
 
As others have said, some places you can’t.

Our location? Our diocese has at least deacon that has had an annulment. And we have a seminarian that has had one.
 
Yes, it is possible. I know a priest who left the Church in his youth and got civilly married. The marriage didn’t work out, and he eventually came back to the faith and received an annulment. A late vocation indeed, but he did become a priest.
 
Dovekin said:
a bishop must be irreproachable, married only once, temperate, self-controlled, decent, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not aggressive, but gentle, not contentious, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, keeping his children under control with perfect dignity; for if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how can he take care of the church of God?
1 Timothy 3:2-5
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@Dovekin…thanks for posting from 1 Timothy. I went and read that. It really is a beautiful scripture with a message that is really worth thinking about. Perhaps people get distracted when they read about married clergy, but It is a good description of how anybody should strive to be successful in marriage. It seems like something that is very hard to attain. The Bishop in 1 Timothy has to almost be a miracle worker.

However, on one hand, I sympathize with those who are separated or have an annulment and might want to be a deacon or priest. Both partners need to be committed and mature. It doesn’t always happen. Sometimes just one person is sincere, and it is very hard to discern that when young.

On the other hand, priests with an annulment and some with an annulment and children are common enough. How strange is it that that a person like this may be qualified to become priest, while a person who comes close to meeting the standard in 1 Timothy is usually not able to become a priest.
 
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The point for me is that requirements like “celibate” “married only once” or “no annulments” do not address the underlying issues. Did he manage his family well? A person whose annulment came about because he beat his wife may not be a good candidate. Another person who cared for his wife and children through her mental illness might get an annulment, and still be an excellent candidate.

I did not mean to criticize your question, but the circumstances of the annulment make a difference. Some might like a clear answer, but the answer is not simple. Even in biblical times, they looked closely at how people managed their lives.
 
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Can I sleep with my wife now that I know we are not validly married? Family Life
I was baptized Catholic, and had my first communion, but then left the Church. While I was an evangelical I married my evangelical wife, I did not receive permission from the Church for this marriage. My wife and I recently converted to Catholicism, and then found out that our marriage is not valid. So now that we KNOW we are not validly married do we need to stop having sexual relations until we receive a marriage blessing from a priest?
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I would say based on this thread of yours, where your discussion centres around marital relations, you really need to sort out what you want out of life,
Have you told your wife , who has recently converted to Catholicism, that you would like to seek an annulment and become a Priest?

You did not convert. You were already Catholic.
 
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