Marriage Questions and mini-Crisis

[puzzleannie]

Hell
Now, years later, I am in the picture and appen.

So let me ask the folks here:
What exactly do we have to do to get married? Does the Church recognize her non-religious marriage? (Neither she nor her ex-husband were Catholic at the time, and I think he’s actually an atheist, if that plays into it). Does she need to file for an annulment even though it was a non-religious union? lp.

there is no crisis, you are not even engaged yet
she does what every does who has been previously married and now wants to marry a Catholic. She visits the priest, explains all the details of her situation, and gets guidance from him on how to proceed with the annulment investigation. Yes, she does need to submit to the rules of the Catholic canon law tribunal to establish whether or not she is free to marry, if her first marriage was valid at its inception. What happened afterward has no bearing on it. There is nothing you can do, she has to do it herself. If she were not involved with anyone and simply wanted to become Catholic through RCIA, she would not have to get an annulment for that reason, but should certainly be advised of what is required in case she ever were to contemplate marriage. No one should be admitted to the Church without an understanding of this teaching.

Each marriage situation is unique and it would be fruitless to answer a specific case here since there are so many variables. Help her get an appointment with your pastor.

the Catholic Church recognizes all marriages between non-Catholics as valid, no matter who witnessed it. For that reason she is not free to date or become engaged until the matter is resolved because objectively she is still married. Civil divorce has no affect whatever on a valid marriage. No of course she does not commit adultery by dating, unless she does acts that constitute offenses against the 6th and 9th commandment, but it is very inadvisible and leads to potential heartbreak to get involved with someone before she finds out her status.

 

[1ke]

Sorry for a THIRD post…but an update and I can’t seem to edit an older post. So it turns out she was never “officially” Baptized. There is no baptismal certificate.

A baptismal certificate is not required for a baptism to be “official” (a.k.a. valid).

She was at a river one day when a random person dunked her in a river and said she was baptized, in typical southern fashion.

If she was baptized in the trinitarian formula, then she is baptized.

So, would he Pauline Privelage apply since this was not a 'legitimate" baptism and there is no official record?

She or another witness to the baptism can give an affidavit of baptism. An “official record” is not required. Many non-Catholic denominations do not keep such records. For a person baptized as an infant, a witness to the baptism can complete the affidavit. For someone old enough to remember it, they can give their own affidavit.

 

[1ke]

I suppose I don’t understand WHY the Church recognizes a non-religious marriage. Isn’t the entire point of marriage to make a union in a spiritual bond and pro-create?

I suggest that you read the Catechism section on Marriage.

 

[proudcatholic33]

Thanks again 1ke!!! Much appreciated. Thanks.

 

[rick43235]

When non-Catholics marry, they are marrying civilly whether they marry before a civil official or clergy. The clergy, if they choose a religious ceremony of some kind, are merely civil witnesses to the marriage, they are not confecting the sacrament.

Maybe I’m misunderstanding. Are you claiming that a marriage ceremony officiated by (for example) a Lutheran minister in a Lutheran church has no more religious significance than a marriage ceremony officiated by a judge at the courthouse or an Elvis impersonator in Las Vegas? That it is merely a civil wedding?

As to your second point, isn’t the marriage of two baptized Christians considered to be a sacrament, regardless of where the ceremony was conducted or who officiated?

 

[laszlo]

The diocesan tribunal is the appropriate forum to make decision about this. Let her go to the local parish, and submit the case to the tribunal. They will ask all the proper question, and made the decision what you two should follow. Expect a year for the process.

 

[1ke]

Maybe I’m misunderstanding. Are you claiming that a marriage ceremony officiated by (for example) a Lutheran minister in a Lutheran church has no more religious significance than a marriage ceremony officiated by a judge at the courthouse or an Elvis impersonator in Las Vegas? That it is merely a civil wedding?

That is correct.

As to your second point, isn’t the marriage of two baptized Christians considered to be a sacrament, regardless of where the ceremony was conducted or who officiated?

Yes, whenever two baptized people validly contract marriage it is by its nature a sacrament.