Does the Church recognize this marriage?

[marinewife]

Hello, I’m new to this forum and have a question. My husband and I have been married for 14 years through a civil marriage. My husband was married before through a civil marriage but it was never consumated and they were married just over a year. My question is will we have to have his first marriage anulled before we have our marriage blessed through the church? We are both Catholics and I am on my way to receiving my confirmation through RCIA classes. We’ve been away from the church for too long and now we are coming back and our children have all started CCD to start receiving their sacraments. Thank you for your response!

 

[Karin]

Hello, I’m new to this forum and have a question. My husband and I have been married for 14 years through a civil marriage. My husband was married before through a civil marriage but it was never consumated and they were married just over a year. My question is will we have to have his first marriage anulled before we have our marriage blessed through the church? We are both Catholics and I am on my way to receiving my confirmation through RCIA classes. We’ve been away from the church for too long and now we are coming back and our children have all started CCD to start receiving their sacraments. Thank you for your response!

More than likely yes…but the best advice is to talk with your priest expalin the situation and he will direct you to what you need to do!
At this point though you should also be living like brother and sister and you are not married in the eyes of the Church.

 

[mosher]

Hello, I’m new to this forum and have a question. My husband and I have been married for 14 years through a civil marriage. My husband was married before through a civil marriage but it was never consumated and they were married just over a year. My question is will we have to have his first marriage anulled before we have our marriage blessed through the church? We are both Catholics and I am on my way to receiving my confirmation through RCIA classes. We’ve been away from the church for too long and now we are coming back and our children have all started CCD to start receiving their sacraments. Thank you for your response!

Yes, but it sounds as if all of his previous marriages have a defect of form assuming that he has always been catholic. This would also include your current union considering that you were both bound by canonical form. As far as all things are concerned I would suggest refraining from the marital act until this situation is settled. You will definitely need to speak to your pastor so that you can get the process started asap.

 

[kleary]

Hello, I’m new to this forum and have a question. My husband and I have been married for 14 years through a civil marriage. My husband was married before through a civil marriage but it was never consumated and they were married just over a year. My question is will we have to have his first marriage anulled before we have our marriage blessed through the church? We are both Catholics and I am on my way to receiving my confirmation through RCIA classes. We’ve been away from the church for too long and now we are coming back and our children have all started CCD to start receiving their sacraments. Thank you for your response!

No annulment would be required for a previous “civil marriage” where the person is a Catholic no matter if it was consummated or not. Your husband tells the priest he was “married” “civilly” via justice of the peace and that is enough to see the marriage is not valid…even if they “consummated” the marriage it still is invalid…even if they have 20 kids it still is invalid.

However- now that you know this you will have to abstain from sexual relations with him until your marriage is sacramentalized. Just go to the priest there and he should be able to help you along these lines that you are hearing in this forum. If he does anything different call the local bishop.

I am also curious on a side note here. If you are married civilly, to a Catholic… and you are attending RCIA- you will not be able to receive the Sacraments of Baptism, Penance, Holy Eucharist or Confirmation in your present state- civilly married to a Catholic unless you vow not to have sexual relations with him until your marriage is sacramentalized.

Ken

 

[Andreas_Hofer]

No annulment would be required for a previous “civil marriage” where the person is a Catholic no matter if it was consummated or not. Your husband tells the priest he was “married” “civilly” via justice of the peace and that is enough to see the marriage is not valid…even if they “consummated” the marriage it still is invalid…even if they have 20 kids it still is invalid.

While the case does seem pretty clear-cut, I don’t think it’s accurate to say no annulment would be needed. The whole purpose of annulments is not that they are only needed to dissolve true marriages (which they do not) but that they serve as authoritative declarations of that which has always been the case, i.e. that a putative marriage was not, indeed, valid. So even though it is obvious that a Catholic “marrying” outside the Church without dispensation has not contracted a valid marriage, a tribunal still needs to pronounce on the matter before a new marriage can be blessed.