Is a civil marriage (man and woman) recognized?

[hbrb]

Hello, I am an Anglican who is exploring conversion to Catholicism. I am married to a lapsed Catholic who is not practicing. We were married two years ago in a civil ceremony. Our marriage was blessed by an Anglican priest in the presence of my family.
Neither of us has been married before nor intends to divorce.
If I convert, I wonder if I will be considered as living in sin and not allowed to receive the Eucharist because I was not married in a Catholic church.
Thanks for any insight you can provide.
May God bless you.

 

[Fr.Vincent_Serpa]

Hi,

The problem is not with you, but with your husband. Since he is a Catholic, and married outside of the Catholic Church, the Church does not consider the marriage to be valid. However, since neither of you has been married before to anyone else, it should be easy to rectify this by making vows in the Catholic Church that the Church does consider valid. See your priest. You are in our prayers.

Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.