I'm in RCIA and my wife is divorced; what do I do?

[KyleMason]

Dear Defender of the Faith,

I had my first RCIA class on 11/2/2015

On the questionnaire it asked if I had been divorced. No, been married 38 years.

However, my wife was divorced in 1977. She is not in RCIA.

Will this affect me?

Do I need to apply for an annulment?

Thank you.

 

[Fr.Vincent_Serpa]

Dear friend,

Since the Catholic Church does not recognize that the state has the power to dissolve a valid marriage, and that one cannot be validly married to two people at the same time, it will be necessary to for your diocesan marriage tribunal to determine if your wife’s first marriage can be annulled—presuming that her first husband is still alive. If an annulment can be obtained, then the Catholic Church would consider your present marriage to be valid. If not, then the only way you could become a Catholic would be to live as brother and sister. To do otherwise would be seriously sinful because you would not be considered validly married.

My friend, you are our prayers. Putting the Lord first before all things by the way we live is the reason any of us has life at all…

Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.