Protestant wants to enroll in RCIA-questions

[Joyce_S]

Hello all: I’m eagerly searching for an answer to a question. I have a sincere desire to learn more about the Catholic church and want to join a RCIA instruction class. I have submitted this same question to Ask An Apologist, but have not received an answer. I am Protestant and have been married to a Protestant husband for 49 years. We were married in a civil ceremony and not in a church. This is my only marriage, however my husband was previously married for a short period to a Catholic woman, has 1 son by the marriage and was subsequently divorced through civil courts. There has been no contact with the former wife for the entire time we have been married, but do know that she remarried. My husband now suffers from dementia and cannot tell me if he was married in the Catholic Church at the time. If he was, he never turned Catholic. I don’t know if his former wife obtained an annulment after the civil divorce in order to remarry. I’m not sure if I should contact the local parish to inquire about RCIA inquiry and classes before I know if I would be able to be confirmed in the Catholic Church. Is there someone out there who would be kind enough to address my concerns. I am truly anxious to go to my local parish to “get things started” and am only waiting for some guidance from someone about my acceptability. I would so appreciate a prompt response.
God Bless
Joyce

 

[Della]

If your husband’s former wife married her second husband in the Church she would have to have gotten an annulment from her first marriage.

I use the terms first and second marriage/husband only for convenience–actually, a civil marriage between a Catholic and a Protestant is not considered valid form by the Church and would probably be the grounds upon which she sought her annulment.

Your local parish ought to be able to ascertain if an annulment was granted to your husband’s first wife. Knowing the diocese would be a great help.

If she didn’t get an annulment, you would have to appeal for an annulment from your husband’s first marriage before becoming a Catholic. And that might take quite some time. However, there is nothing preventing you from going through RCIA for the information only, if you wanted to do that. If not, a study of the Catechism of the Catholic Church would be helpful to you, as well as asking questions here and of knowledgeable Catholics. And then, when the annulment has gone through (if one is granted) you might be received into the Church if the priest feels you are ready.

I pray the way will be made open for you to become a Catholic, and also for your husband’s unfortunate health issues. God bless you.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Hello all: I’m eagerly searching for an answer to a question. I have a sincere desire to learn more about the Catholic church and want to join a RCIA instruction class. I have submitted this same question to Ask An Apologist, but have not received an answer. I am Protestant and have been married to a Protestant husband for 49 years. We were married in a civil ceremony and not in a church. This is my only marriage, however my husband was previously married for a short period to a Catholic woman, has 1 son by the marriage and was subsequently divorced through civil courts. There has been no contact with the former wife for the entire time we have been married, but do know that she remarried. My husband now suffers from dementia and cannot tell me if he was married in the Catholic Church at the time. If he was, he never turned Catholic. I don’t know if his former wife obtained an annulment after the civil divorce in order to remarry. I’m not sure if I should contact the local parish to inquire about RCIA inquiry and classes before I know if I would be able to be confirmed in the Catholic Church. Is there someone out there who would be kind enough to address my concerns. I am truly anxious to go to my local parish to “get things started” and am only waiting for some guidance from someone about my acceptability. I would so appreciate a prompt response.
God Bless
Joyce

Yes, you should. Then let the Church deal with the Marriage situation. Find out the parish of his Baptism. The Church will want to see if any Marriage is recorded on his Baptismal record. Also if possible the parish or diocese where the Marriage might have taken place.

 

[Trishie]

Joyce, welcome to Catholic Answers Forum!
I hope you find the answers you need.
I will keep you in my prayers!

Warm regards, Trishie

 

[rwoehmke]

If your husband is old enough to have dementia you may be already living as brother and sister. Don’t be telling us one way or the other, but it may be a salient fact to tell the priest when you discuss all of this. If your answer would be yes, you may not need the declaration of nullity to be already granted before entering the Church.

 

[Texas_Roofer]

Hello all: I’m eagerly searching for an answer to a question. I have a sincere desire to learn more about the Catholic church and want to join a RCIA instruction class. I have submitted this same question to Ask An Apologist, but have not received an answer. I am Protestant and have been married to a Protestant husband for 49 years. We were married in a civil ceremony and not in a church. This is my only marriage, however my husband was previously married for a short period to a Catholic woman, has 1 son by the marriage and was subsequently divorced through civil courts. There has been no contact with the former wife for the entire time we have been married, but do know that she remarried. My husband now suffers from dementia and cannot tell me if he was married in the Catholic Church at the time. If he was, he never turned Catholic. I don’t know if his former wife obtained an annulment after the civil divorce in order to remarry. I’m not sure if I should contact the local parish to inquire about RCIA inquiry and classes before I know if I would be able to be confirmed in the Catholic Church. Is there someone out there who would be kind enough to address my concerns. I am truly anxious to go to my local parish to “get things started” and am only waiting for some guidance from someone about my acceptability. I would so appreciate a prompt response.
God Bless
Joyce

First you can attend RCIA regardless of the situation; second the issue is whether you can receive sacraments. There are many possibilities here far too many to guess at. Attend class and setup an appointment with your local marriage ministry. They will work through this with you.

 

[Sailka]

Hello all: I’m eagerly searching for an answer to a question. I have a sincere desire to learn more about the Catholic church and want to join a RCIA instruction class. I have submitted this same question to Ask An Apologist, but have not received an answer. I am Protestant and have been married to a Protestant husband for 49 years. We were married in a civil ceremony and not in a church. This is my only marriage, however my husband was previously married for a short period to a Catholic woman, has 1 son by the marriage and was subsequently divorced through civil courts. There has been no contact with the former wife for the entire time we have been married, but do know that she remarried. My husband now suffers from dementia and cannot tell me if he was married in the Catholic Church at the time. If he was, he never turned Catholic. I don’t know if his former wife obtained an annulment after the civil divorce in order to remarry. I’m not sure if I should contact the local parish to inquire about RCIA inquiry and classes before I know if I would be able to be confirmed in the Catholic Church. Is there someone out there who would be kind enough to address my concerns. I am truly anxious to go to my local parish to “get things started” and am only waiting for some guidance from someone about my acceptability. I would so appreciate a prompt response.
God Bless
Joyce

Please talk with your local Catholic Priest about each Marriage. He is trained expert to tell your Status. Or local marriage council. No problem contacting 2 sources, to double check. The Catholic Church is the most Ideal/Idealistic organization in the world. Am about to publish all the Facts why. Pls do take RCIA, to learn more about it, as has been done since the Catacumens in the Catacombs 1700 years ago. There is no obligation to complete, to Catholicism. But is no reason Not to become Catholic, although there is question if you can receive the Real Presence Eucharist. Most Catholics are not aware that the giant Roman Catholic Church, lagest massivelly by far, at over one billion members, in the world, and is the fastest growing church in the USA, increasing by .57 % in 2007, according to the National Council of Churches February annual reports on every denomination. God Bless! Live in Jesus