How would the Catholic Church view my marriage?

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Truth_Faith13

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I don’t quite understand yet what the Catholic Church considers a valid marriage and what it doesn’t…I have heard of people who are married by law but the church still sees them as living in sin? What are the different circumstances?

I am married to an unbaptised atheist (I was christened Methodist as a child). He is very supportive of my faith and while he doesn’t believe in God he does seem to find comfort in the old traditional liturgy services (he went to a catholic school)…he doesn’t currently come to my church as he isn’t in to bands etc at church services unless its been for a marriage/dedication…if I was to become catholic as I’m considering, how would the church view my marriage…while I know he is more favourable with a catholic mass, I’m not sure he would start coming on a Sunday with me?

Thanks for all of your help 🙂
 
In general the assumption is that a marriage is valid unless shown otherwise. One of the obvious things that would “show otherwise” is if either party had been previously married; then the assumption would be that they were still married to their first spouse and not free to marry someone else.

For Catholics and Orthodox Christians there are also requirements to follow the rules of their church in order to be validly married. This is where you may hear that a Catholic married outside the Catholic form of marriage is not validly married.

Assuming that this is the first marriage for each of you then you are most likely in a valid marriage and will continue to be if you become Catholic. Because your husband is unbaptized it is called a natural marriage rather than a sacramental marriage. (Both parties must be baptized in order for it to be a sacrament.) Both natural and sacramental marriages are valid.
 
Provided this is the first/only marriage for each of you, you are in a valid marriage.
 
Unless the previous spouse is deceased. A living ex spouse would invalidate the marriage and the Church would require the previous marriage be annulled by a Church tribunal before your current marriage could be recognized. A deceased former spouse would mean the marriage is valid.
 
Thanks for the replies! This is our first marriage for each of us.
 
Then the Church considers your marriage valid, but not Sacramental as one of you is not Baptized. If your spouse were to convert to Christianity and be Baptized the marriage would become Sacramental. But even if that never happens the marriage is still recognized as valid by the Church.
 
1ke said:
Yes.

Baptism is not a requirement for marrying.

Non Catholics Christians and the unbaptized marry validly when they marry civilly.
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Oh we had a church wedding, but it was Church of England.
 
I noted that your husband went to Catholic school. Is it possible he was Baptized as a baby? If he was, he is a Catholic and your marriage is invalid.
 
No he is not baptised…he went to a catholic school, his parents aren’t catholics so he wouldn’t have been catholic even if he had been.

I’m confused though, why would that make it invalid, but if I become catholic and he remains unbaptised, it’s valid?
 
Truth_Faith13 said:
Oh we had a church wedding, but it was Church of England.
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The type of ceremony doesn’t matter when we’re talking two non-catholics. All that matters is there was a legally binding marriage between a man and a woman with no impediments to marriage as seen by the Church. Civil wedding, church wedding, wedding performed by cousin Vick who got certified to do marriages and performed the ceremony on the beach, even between Pagans the Church recognizes the marriage. The Catholic Church respects all marriages.
Anne_Jane said:
I noted that your husband went to Catholic school. Is it possible he was Baptized as a baby? If he was, he is a Catholic and your marriage is invalid.
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Yes. If he was Baptized Catholic as an infant he would be considered Catholic and by Church law must marry within the Church or get a dispensation to marry outside of the Church. Otherwise the marriage would be invalid and need to be convalidated by a priest or deacon of the Church. Are you sure his parents did not have him Baptized as a baby or child?

NM, you replied as I was posting 🙂
 
Truth_Faith13 said:
No he is not baptised…he went to a catholic school, his parents aren’t catholics so he wouldn’t have been catholic even if he had been.

I’m confused though, why would that make it invalid, but if I become catholic and he remains unbaptised, it’s valid?
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A person baptized Catholic is required to follow Catholic law on marriage. So if he were a baptized Catholic at the time of your marriage and did not follow Church law, it would be an invalid marriage.

But he is not a Catholic and therefore was under no obligation to have married in Catholic form. Your marriage is valid.

I am not sure why people have introduced this variable into the thread as you have been clear your DH is unbaptized and you were baptized Methodist.
 
1ke said:
A person baptized Catholic is required to follow Catholic law on marriage. So if he were a baptized Catholic at the time of your marriage and did not follow Church law, it would be an invalid marriage.

But he is not a Catholic and therefore was under no obligation to have married in Catholic form. Your marriage is valid.

I am not sure why people have introduced this variable into the thread as you have been clear your DH is unbaptized and you were baptized Methodist.
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I was a bit confused by that as I wouldn’t have said he was unbaptised if he was…I guess they were just clarifying. I suppose its confusing having been to catholic school (as I have)…I probably should have stated they were private schools.

So if I were to become catholic it would still be valid because we married before I entered the catholic faith? Is that correct?
 
Truth_Faith13 said:
So if I were to become catholic it would still be valid because we married before I entered the catholic faith? Is that correct?
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Correct. Your marriage is valid. It remains valid if you convert to the Catholic Church.
 
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