divorce and conversion

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guardian1

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is it possible for a divorced protestant to join the Catholic church? a friend of mine was divorced and she was told she couldnt become catholic because she had gotten a divorce. she was then told that she could, but would have to get an annulment and it would cost 675 dollars. is it possible that this is true or even somewhat true?
 
A divorced Protestant may become Catholic.

If the divorced Protestant remains single, then an annulment is optional. One can be divorced and become Catholic and partake in all the sacraments except marriage and holy orders. If one feels called to marriage or to holy orders after converting, then an annulment must be granted.

Annulment is a complex subject, and it can be even more complex when conversion is involved. Is your friend speaking with someone in her parish? If not, have her talk with someone who is directly involved with annulments. If she has spoken with someone in the parish and is still confused, perhaps she could talk with someone involved with the Tribunal down in your Diocesan Cathedral.

As far as prices go, it can vary by case.
 
she went to the diocese and they told her she had to pay up. she told them to get lost
 
btw, she’s a muslim now. said she would be catholic if it wasnt for what she had to do for the annulment.

the way i see it, the chuch lost a convert over it. that’s why i was asking about it.
 
guardian1 said:
btw, she’s a muslim now. said she would be catholic if it wasnt for what she had to do for the annulment.

the way i see it, the chuch lost a convert over it. that’s why i was asking about it.
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So you agree with her that an annulment fee is just cause to convert to Islam?
 
I get a strong sense that we don’t have all the information here. There’s almost always an “if only so-and-so wasn’t so then I’d be Catholic” clause for folks who aren’t quite ready to convert.

Ya win some, ya lose some. We should pray for her either way.
 
guardian1 said:
she went to the diocese and they told her she had to pay up. she told them to get lost
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Your friend is not giving you the whole story.
  1. individuals do not start the annulment process at the diocisan level. The pastor, or sometimes someone appoointed by him, does all of the initial paperwork and fact gathering.
  2. if your friend was just divorced, there is no obstacle to joining the Church. It is only if there was a re-marriage that there would be any issue at all.
  3. there are always alternate financial arrangements available.
  4. your friend is not pursuing joining the Church. She is a Muslim and now. You don’t go from a true wish to be a Catholic to Muslim over something so trivial. Your friend may be spinning the story from her new perspective of Islam or she may not have really investigated Catholicism in the first place.
 
guardian1 said:
is it possible for a divorced protestant to join the Catholic church? a friend of mine was divorced and she was told she couldnt become catholic because she had gotten a divorce. she was then told that she could, but would have to get an annulment and it would cost 675 dollars. is it possible that this is true or even somewhat true?
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yes it is possible for a divorced person to enter the Catholic Church.
if this person has since remarried, and the first marriage was never examined and found to be invalid, they are objectively living in a state of adultery, since they were not free to marry, and that situation would have to be rectified before they become Catholic. You did not give all the facts about this person’s situation–which is usual, because we do not and cannot know all the facts about a given person’s specific situation. That is why the first thing the prospective Catholic should do is meet with a priest and determine if there are any barriers to their entering into the grace of the sacraments, and begin to break down those barriers.

As to how much an annulment “costs” it is for one thing a lot less than a divorce, and for another thing, dependent on the time and place, and there is usually a sliding scale or need basis applied that can eliminate fees if there is reason.
 
Corki said:
Your friend is not giving you the whole story.
  1. individuals do not start the annulment process at the diocisan level. The pastor, or sometimes someone appoointed by him, does all of the initial paperwork and fact gathering.
  2. if your friend was just divorced, there is no obstacle to joining the Church. It is only if there was a re-marriage that there would be any issue at all.
  3. there are always alternate financial arrangements available.
  4. your friend is not pursuing joining the Church. She is a Muslim and now. You don’t go from a true wish to be a Catholic to Muslim over something so trivial. Your friend may be spinning the story from her new perspective of Islam or she may not have really investigated Catholicism in the first place.
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I know that she has remarried. I just don’t know where in the timeline the remarriage falls. And yeah, she’s not, um, a “solid” person.
 
1ke said:
Sounds like a fabricated story to me.
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I gave all the information that was given to me. She didn’t really seem to want to talk about it, so I didn’t push it. Whether you choose to believe it or not is your business. I am no troll.
 
guardian1 said:
I gave all the information that was given to me. She didn’t really seem to want to talk about it, so I didn’t push it. Whether you choose to believe it or not is your business. I am no troll.
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I don’t think anyone was implying you were a troll. It sounds more like this person has a beef with the Church and was spinning or making up the facts to support her position, that’s all.
 
guardian1 said:
I didn’t say that. Just repeating what she said.
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Re your signature: Just because you were raised a Protestant, doesn’t mean you’re asking stupid questions. Your questions may very well be legitimate based on your understanding of things. :mad:
 
guardian1 said:
I gave all the information that was given to me. She didn’t really seem to want to talk about it, so I didn’t push it. Whether you choose to believe it or not is your business. I am no troll.
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I didn’t say you were.

I said it sounded like a fabricated story. I didn’t say YOU fabricated it.
 
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