Is it possible for my mom to become catholic? i need help

[LilyM]

i don’t mean to confuse, but would not the second and third marriages be invalid due to the first and thus not really be considered marriages at all.

Depends. If, for example, a party was baptised Catholic but contracted their first marriage in a non-Catholic ceremony without asking for dispensation to do so, then that marriage would be invalid due to lack of form.

Or in the case of the marriage where the spouse died, if the second marriage took place after the death of the first spouse it might be valid.

This is why it is important that the entire marital history of both parties be laid before someone competent to advise such as a canon lawyer or priest, as well as the Diocesan Marriage Tribunal for a determination as to whether any of the previous marriages are valid.

 

[Eufrosnia]

Does her 3 previous husbands need to be involved. By the way she never intended to have children until the third marriage if that makes any difference. How long will this take!?!?!?

Note that she and her husband can still enter the church. They will have to live (till their annulment is granted) as brother and sister (i.e. refrain from all sexual activity).

In the event that the annulment is not granted, they will have to continue to live as brother and sister.

So they do not need to wait till the annulment is granted (if it will be) but it will require them to carry the cross.

EDIT: Ooops, just saw that someone already mentioned this

 

[JRKH]

i don’t mean to confuse, but would not the second and third marriages be invalid due to the first and thus not really be considered marriages at all.

I don’t want to confuse either but…** in a very general sense (not related to the OP at all)**

Flowing logically - It makes sense to look at the first marriage first.
There are Two possibilities - valid or invalid…
If valid then the other marriages need not be looked at.
If invalid then there was no impediment to the second marriage and that marriage would need to be investigated…
Second marriage is investigated…two possibilities - valid or invalid…

And so forth…

If this is wrong - someone please correct me…

Peace
James

 

[MaeganFlinchum1]

This has got us both so nervous…

 

[JRKH]

This has got us both so nervous…

Turn your computer off and wait to talk to your priest…I’m not kidding - it’s the best thing you can do right now.

Peace
James

 

[Eufrosnia]

I don’t want to confuse either but…** in a very general sense (not related to the OP at all)**

Flowing logically - It makes sense to look at the first marriage first.
There are Two possibilities - valid or invalid…
If valid then the other marriages need not be looked at.
If invalid then there was no impediment to the second marriage and that marriage would need to be investigated…
Second marriage is investigated…two possibilities - valid or invalid…

And so forth…

If this is wrong - someone please correct me…

Peace
James

This is quiet possible actually and seems reasonable. I think the question that they will need to ask in all of this is whether they are ready to accept the church in the negative case where one of them gets ruled as valid.

If that is the case, they need not worry too much about the specifics rather than join the church and start living as brother and sister while filing for annulment. I think it would be immoral to file an annulment and continue to wait as husband and wife. The filing of the annulment does indicate that they suspect the validity or invalidity of the previous marriages and they are not sure. So they will have to presume them valid till an annulment is granted.

Which means, they have to start living as brother and sister starting now or they will be doing something immoral.

 

[TheRealJuliane]

This has got us both so nervous…

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE just take this whole thing to the priest! Anything we say here is mere speculation and can only confuse you and give you trepidation. No one here is a tribunal official! Just go to the priest.

 

[St_Francis]

I don’t want to confuse either but…** in a very general sense (not related to the OP at all)**

Flowing logically - It makes sense to look at the first marriage first.
There are Two possibilities - valid or invalid…
If valid then the other marriages need not be looked at.
If invalid then there was no impediment to the second marriage and that marriage would need to be investigated…
Second marriage is investigated…two possibilities - valid or invalid…

And so forth…

If this is wrong - someone please correct me…

Peace
James

I wwas going to write this, but you did itvery well and so *concisely! *

 

[ChelleyD]

Does her 3 previous husbands need to be involved.

No one seems to have addressed this point yet, so here goes. If the competant authority (i.e. Tribunal) determines that any of the marriages need investigation, then yes, the ex-husband(s) will have some involvement.*** However, your mother should not have to directly contact any or all of her exes if that’s what is bothering you and her.***

I chose to contact my ex-husband to inform him I was getting married in the Catholic Church (I converted) and asked where I could have the annulment paperwork sent. I gave that info to the Tribunal and they sent the paperwork. And we waited. And they sent the paperwork. And we waited. And they sent the paperwork. And we waited. Then they (the Tribunal) said “Enough is Enough! He’s obviously not going to respond so we’ll continue with the process.”

Again, as others have pointed out: Talk to your priest. He will either be able to advise you or point you to someone who can.

 

[flute]

She only has to annul the first marriage as that is the only one that concerns God’s blessing. The other marriages don’t count in God’s eyes.

 

[LilyM]

She only has to annul the first marriage as that is the only one that concerns God’s blessing. The other marriages don’t count in God’s eyes.

She has said very little about the circumstances of any of the marriages, and it is entirely possible that any or all of these marriages can be valid, regardless of number.

Example - Henry VIII’s first marriage was valid.

His second, which took place while his first wife still lived, was invalid.

However his THIRD marriage, which happened after both his previous wives had died, was perfectly valid as he was left free to marry by their deaths.

Same with his fourth marriage, as his third wife had died in childbirth.

His fifth and sixth, though, were contracted while the fourth wife lived and so were invalid.

 

[Deltadeliquent]

So…
If a non catholic is married and then divorced…
And then marries again, and divorced…
And then the first wife dies…
Is he free to marry, or does he need an annullment for the second marriage?

Not baptised but now, married to a Catholic who wants to return.

 

[JRKH]

So…
If a non catholic is married and then divorced…
And then marries again, and divorced…
And then the first wife dies…
Is he free to marry, or does he need an annullment for the second marriage?

Not baptised but now, married to a Catholic who wants to return.

The previous marriages would still need to be investigated.
Pure guesswork here on my part…but the order of your scenario above indicates that the second marriage was contracted before the first spouse died.
Therefore the validity of the first marriage had a bearing on the validity of the second marriage at that time it was contracted.

If the situation follows the most likely path…(I’m making assumptions here)…Then the first marriage is held valid and the second marriage was never sacramentally valid and the man is a widower.
Of course if you and he are currently married civilly (third marriage?) and got married while his first wife was living, then he was not free to marry you at that time.

So - the best course of action at this time is to contact your local parish and talk to someone who is trained in these matters. They will be able to walk through the unique particulars of your situation and give you the best advice.

Peace
James