Is an annulment necessary here?

[suscro]

A friend of mine is in a pickle. Approximately 13 years ago, she found herself pregnant but didn’t want to get married. She, however, felt coerced by the family and did marry. This marriage lasted about 3 years then ended in divorce.
She and her former husband were baptized at the time but NOT as Catholics. They never attended any religious services and were not affiliated with any religion. They were also married by a J.P.
Her former husband has since been married 3 other times.
My friend married again about 3 years ago. She and her new husband were welcomed into the Catholic Church during Easter of 2010.
She told the parish that she had been divorced and they only told her it would need to be taken care of and that she would have to do it. She did not understand the true nature of what they meant. She asked another Catholic who told her the 1st marriage was not valid and she would not need to get an annulment.
Is this correct or does she still need to get an annulment?

 

[Fr.Vincent_Serpa]

Hi,

The RCIA team should have known better than to receive into the Church persons who are not validly married. The Catholic Church DOES recognize the marriages of non-Catholics whether they were married by a JP or a minister, etc. The fact that she was forced into the first marriage should make it easy for her to get an annulment. But an annulment IS necessary. Until proven otherwise, that first marriage is still considered valid. . As it is, she ought to be celibate until this matter is resolved. Then she can be married in the Catholic Church. She should talk to her pastor about this right away. She is in our prayers.

Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.