Does a divorced person going through rcia have to get annulment first?

[blaskoman]

Few scenarios:

1. Non-believer going through rcia. Person was married in civil ceremony to another non-believer but now divorced. Is annulment required before the sacraments may be received?
2. Protestant converting to catholicism and going through rcia. Person was married in protestant ceremony but now divorced. Annulment required before the sacraments may be received?
3. Person baptized catholic but going through rcia in order to receive the remaining sacraments. Person was married in civil ceremony but now divorced. Same question as above…

 

[quiet52]

Few scenarios:

1. Non-believer going through rcia. Person was married in civil ceremony to another non-believer but now divorced. Is annulment required before the sacraments may be received?

No, if there is no intention to re-marry. Otherwise, yes, a petition for nullity due to defect of consent may be submitted. Or possibly Pauline Privilege. To be discussed with the pastor.

1. Protestant converting to catholicism and going through rcia. Person was married in protestant ceremony but now divorced. Annulment required before the sacraments may be received?

No, if there is no intention to re-marry. Otherwise, yes, a petition for nullity due to defect of consent may be submitted. Or possibly Petrine privilege, if one spouse is baptized and the other is not. To be discussed with the pastor.

1. Person baptized catholic but going through rcia in order to receive the remaining sacraments. Person was married in civil ceremony but now divorced. Same question as above

No, if there is no intention to re-marry. Otherwise, a petition for lack of form may be submitted. Catholics are required to marry in the Catholic Church. When they marry outside the Church, unless given a dispensation by the bishop, their marriage is not seen as valid by the Church. The Catholic would still need to submit all the paperwork (marriage license, baptismal record, and divorce decree) in order to resolve this situation and be freed to re-marry. However, this process is short and simple.

 

[1ke]

A person may not receive the sacraments if they are in an irregular marriage-- currently remarried after a prior marriage and divorced. The prior marriage(s) would have to be examined and freedom to marry determined and their irregular situation resolved. In each of those cases, the cirrcumstances are different, and therefore the avenue to resolution is different.

A person who has married and divorced and currently single has no impediment to reception into the Church. Many dioceses do ensure the examination of the prior marriage takes place and the person’s freedom to marry (or lack thereof) is determined prior to receiving the sacraments-- this is prudential judgment of the bishop since many times this can be a stumbling block to those entering the church if their prior marriage is found valid.

 

[Jon_S_1]

Few scenarios:

1. Non-believer going through rcia. Person was married in civil ceremony to another non-believer but now divorced. Is annulment required before the sacraments may be received?
2. Protestant converting to catholicism and going through rcia. Person was married in protestant ceremony but now divorced. Annulment required before the sacraments may be received?
3. Person baptized catholic but going through rcia in order to receive the remaining sacraments. Person was married in civil ceremony but now divorced. Same question as above…

NO for all three scenarios. As long as there is no “remarriage” no annulment is necessary.

I am divorced and planning on joining the church this Easter in RCIA now so I’ve been told this by my priest and formation director as well as the vast internet.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

Agreed that someone who has not remarried is not required to pursue a declaration of nullity. It may be a good idea, however, so that the person would know if marriage in the future is a possibility or not and can plan accordingly.

 

[Jon_S_1]

Agreed that someone who has not remarried is not required to pursue a declaration of nullity. It may be a good idea, however, so that the person would know if marriage in the future is a possibility or not and can plan accordingly.

For me, I haven’t sought annulment yet, but it’s not like for me it would change my decision. I believe what the Catholic Church teaches is Truth, and so if they say someday I cannot remarry , then as hard as that is I will trust the church. For now I don’t date or anything since that part if my life is unsettled.

 

[blaskoman]

What about scenario involving anyone who is in some type of irregular marriage going through RCIA. Would that irregular marriage have to be deemed valid for this person to continue through the process and become catholic? Take for example a non-believer who has been divorced twice and married for a third time but for whatever reason wants to become catholic. Does this individual have no chance to become a catholic in good standing?

 

[PaulfromIowa]

A person in an invalid marriage is objectively living in sin, unless the partners are “living as brother and sister.”

 

[Jon_S_1]

What about scenario involving anyone who is in some type of irregular marriage going through RCIA. Would that irregular marriage have to be deemed valid for this person to continue through the process and become catholic? Take for example a non-believer who has been divorced twice and married for a third time but for whatever reason wants to become catholic. Does this individual have no chance to become a catholic in good standing?

They need to go through the annulment process if they are remarried at all and any of their ex spouses are living.

Regardless of if they were catholic or protestant or pagan or secular marriages

 

[1ke]

What about scenario involving anyone who is in some type of irregular marriage going through RCIA. Would that irregular marriage have to be deemed valid for this person to continue through the process and become catholic?

Their irregular marriage will have to be resolved in order to receive the sacraments. That can take many forms including a finding of invalidity of prior marriage(s) and validity of their current marriage. There could also be recourse to the Pauline Privilege if the parties are unbaptized. There could also be a decision to live in continence or separate from the current civil spouse if a prior marriage is found valid.

Take for example a non-believer who has been divorced twice and married for a third time but for whatever reason wants to become catholic.

See above. His/her prior marriage(s) will have to be resolved via nullity or dissolution of the bond, or throught a commitment to separate or live in continence with the current civil spouse.

Does this individual have no chance to become a catholic in good standing?

One always has the opportunity to become a Catholic in good standing. Not everyone is prepared to do what it will take for that to happen.