Is this marriage still valid?

[utep99]

Hello all,
I have recently returned to the Catholic Faith after years of being away. In that absence I committed mortal sins. These have been confessed and therefore forgiven. The question I have is a bit tougher however as I am asking the point of view from the Catholic Church NOT Civil Law. In 1988 I was married to my wife in A baptist Church. Therefore it is known that the Church can claim dominion over this marriage. In 1998 we were divorced but never really seperated. So we want to get this thing right as we (ourselves) basically do not recognize the divorce. The Catholic Church states that to get a divorce a annulment must be granted. Since this was never done and we are still husband and wife I want to know if it is a sin for us to be together, as our divorce was granted by a state and can easily be removed from the books (50 dollar cost) and the order is removed as if it never happened. I guess what I am trying to find out is in God’s eye are we still married and number 2 In the eyes of the church is this origional marriage still valid?

 

[Fr.Vincent_Serpa]

Dear friend,

In the eyes of the Catholic Church you were never and are now not validly married because as a Catholic, you married outside of the Catholic Church. You need to have your marriage blessed by the Church. See your priest about this.

If you want to be in the state of grace and be able to receive Holy Communion (and I would hope you do), you need to refrain from sexual relations until you are validly married in the Catholic Church. You are in our prayers.

Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.