Marriage Vows to a non-catholic

[kayla]

I’m thinking about obtaining an anullment from my previous marriage ( I have been divorced for 20 years).
My current marriage of 7 yrs. was done by a JP.
My husband and I would like to take our marriage vows by a priest.
This is my question: my husband is a presbyterian and I am catholic,
does he have to become a catholic in order to be married in a catholic church?
Will he also have to have his previous marriage anulled before he is married in a catholic church?
Thanks for your time and help
Kayla

 

[Jim_Blackburn]

Both previous marriages (yours and his) must be declared null before your current marriage can be validated. Permission is required for a Catholic to marry a non-Catholic but there is no requirement for the non-Catholic party to become a Catholic.

Since your current marriage is apparently invalid, I recommend that you go to confession and commit to living as brother & sister before receiving communion and until your marriage is validated. The Catechism explains, “If the divorced are remarried civilly, they find themselves in a situation that objectively contravenes God’s law. Consequently, they cannot receive Eucharistic communion as long as this situation persists… Reconciliation through the sacrament of Penance can be granted only to those who have repented for having violated the sign of the covenant and of fidelity to Christ, and who are committed to living in complete continence” (CCC 1650).