Does an annulment "erase" a previous marriage?

[Cassaba]

Prior to becoming Catholic, I had a marriage that ended in divorce. I subsequently filed a petition for annulment of that marriage and the petition was granted. After that, I was confirmed and married in the Catholic Church.

Does the decree of nullity mean that I was never married before? How do I refer to my former “marriage”? Is my current marriage a “second marriage” or my only marriage? I sometimes catch myself saying “I was married before…” and then I wonder if that is accurate.

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

While an annulment means that a marriage did not take place in the eyes of the Church, the Church presumes that you were legally married according to the laws of your civil government. In that case, it is perfectly fine to refer to your first marriage as a “marriage” and to say that you were married before. However, to avoid confusion for those who have reason to be concerned about your status in the Church, you may also go on to say that the marriage ended in divorce and was later annulled by the Catholic Church.