Convalidation Preparation out of state (kind of general question)

[cryssygurl90]

Before my teens I never attended church, when I reached my teens I faithfully attended the baptist church in my home town, however when my daughter was born 2 years ago I began attending catholic church with my husband and I found my home. I am now working on becoming a member.

My husband and I were married outside the church. Now that I am working in my RCIA program (we had many complications last year as my parish will not perform a conditional baptism without diocese approval and I had to prove I had exhausted all efforts to obtain my baptismal certificate as well as obtain letters from my parents as well as godparents that I was baptized Methodist as an infant) we are wanting to have a convalidation for our marriage.

We are hoping to do this in my husbands home church, the parish members there are like family, and also his family could not travel to take part in our wedding because of illness so it is important to us that we have them there.

I am concerned though, about how we go about marriage preparation. I am assuming that preparing for a convalidation would be the same as preparation for a regular wedding. I am unsure if this is done differently by diocese, I only know what our diocese does, but our diocese requires marriage preparation be done by our diocese. I was wondering if this is how it is always done? My concern is because his home church is in IN and we are in WV. With 2 children traveling isnt easy, granted I would certainly do it for this. I just wasnt sure what preparations were required and whether we would need to do all preparation in IN or if it could be done within our diocese.

Thank you for taking the time to read this

 

[felsguy]

Chryssygurl

I know for a fact that for a good reason some (many? most?) dioceses will accept marriage preparation done in a different diocese. Some type of official verification undoubtedly would be necessary. A definite answer for your situation would most likely come from the parish in Indiana where you hope to have the convalidation occur.

Sometimes communication in situations like this can be cumbersome, even frustrating, while other times it can be quite simple. I encourage you to pursue this and hopefully the latter will be the case.

God bless.

 

[Phemie]

Sometimes the preparation is different based on how long you’ve been in your civil marriage. While some of the preparation would be identical, that specifically on the sacrament for example, you wouldn’t expect the childless couple that’s been married 2 or 3 years to require the same as those married 15 or 20 with a family.

For those who come to us from another diocese or parish, we accept as preparation anything that the couple’s own diocese approves. They bring a certificate or a letter from their pastor and our pastor witnesses their Catholic marriage.

 

[puzzleannie]

we had many complications last year as my parish will not perform a conditional baptism without diocese approval and I had to prove I had exhausted all efforts to obtain my baptismal certificate as well as obtain letters from my parents as well as godparents that I was baptized Methodist as an infant

the affidavits from witnesses should suffice as proof of baptism and no conditional baptism should be attempted. ask again, make sure you talk to the priest who has all the relevant facts and paperwork.

we are wanting to have a convalidation for our marriage.

We are hoping to do this in my husbands home church, the parish members there are like family, and also his family could not travel to take part in our wedding because of illness so it is important to us that we have them there.

I
yes it is very common for marriage preparation to be done where you live, it merely requires coordination between your pastor and the priest who will be doing the wedding.

welcome home and congratulations.