Do I need to get my marriage validated or blessed?

[bridgesro]

I converted to Catholicism in 2013 and was confirmed in April of 2014. My wife and I were married in 2009 in a protestant church by a protestant pastor. This is our first (and only) marriage.

I remember reading something back in 2013 that people married outside the Catholic church may need to have their marriages blessed or validated by a priest. Will my wife and I need to do so?

Thanks!

 

[DarkLight]

That only applies to people who were baptized Catholic at the time of their marriage. If you and your husband were both protestants at the time of your marriage, and had been baptized in a protestant church (or not baptized at all), then your marriage does not need to be validated.

But feel free to talk to a priest to make sure - it can’t hurt to ask.

 

[bridgesro]

That only applies to people who were baptized Catholic at the time of their marriage. If you and your husband were both protestants at the time of your marriage, and had been baptized in a protestant church (or not baptized at all), then your marriage does not need to be validated.

But feel free to talk to a priest to make sure - it can’t hurt to ask.

We were both baptized protestant when we were kids. Thanks for the response - that helped clear it up for us!

 

[1ke]

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We were both baptized protestant when we were kids. Thanks for the response - that helped clear it up for us!

Your marriage is valid. There is no convalidation needed. In fact it’s not possible because a convalidation makes an invalid marriage valid and yours is already valid.

What you can ask your pastor to do is give you the Nuptial Blessing, which any couple can receive if they have not already received it.

 

[Usige]

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Your marriage is valid. There is no convalidation needed. In fact it’s not possible because a convalidation makes an invalid marriage valid and yours is already valid.

What you can ask your pastor to do is give you the Nuptial Blessing, which any couple can receive if they have not already received it.

I can attest to this. Both my wife and I are converts and came into the Church 13+ years after we married. When I applied for the Deacon formation program neither my wife’s or my sacramental records included notation of our marriage. That caused a bit of a hiccup and we eventually talked to the Chancellor of the diocese. He basically said the same as 1ke, not only shouldn’t we attempt a convalidation or radical sanation, but it would not be possible since our marriage is already valid.