Marriage Question from Protestant

[learn4her]

I am an American who wishes to marry my fiance who lives in the Philippines. I would like to marry her in the Catholic Church in order to honor her family and friends. However, I am a divorced man who is also a Protestant. My fiance asked her priest if the marriage is possible. He said yes, and she wrote me the following: “you need to find a chancery of the state where you reside and you will ask them for a Matrimonial Tribunal (a declaration of freedom to marry in Catholic Church).” Does anyone know what a Matrimonial Tribunal is like for someone like me, a divorced Protestant? How long does this process take? Do they contact my ex-wife? Thanks!

 

[pnewton]

Marriage between two Protestants:

The Catholic Church assumes the validity of such a marriage. You have the right to have a the validity investigated. If the marriage tribunal finds that the marriage was not valid, a decree of nullity will be issued and you would be considered free to marry in the Catholic Church.

A marriage tribunal will be composed of peolple proficient in canon law (the law governing the Church). Most of the evidnce gathered will be in the form of questionairese, with some documentery evidence (marriage certificates, etc.).

Yes, they will attempt to contact your ex-wife and mail her a list of questions, but it is not a “you versus her” trial. It is only the validity of the marriage on trial.

How long the process takes varies from diocese to diocese.

Edward Peters (a canon lawyer) just wrote a book on the subject, Annulments in the Catholic Church. It is availble through Catholic Answers (no, I am not a salesman)

Also, might I recommend that you or anyone who wishes to marry a Catholic attend the RCIA classes at least for a while. In addtion to preparing those who are joining the Catholic church, they are an excellent resource (at least in my parish) for information on what the Catholic Church really teaches.

 

[dhgray]

very excellent questions. I recommend going to you local Catholic Church and talk to a Priest. God Bless you for wanting to do the right thing.