Random Marriage Questions

[MomtoEandM]

I have two questions which I am hoping someone here may be able to answer. This is mostly just out of curiosity.

Question 1: Friends of my parents got married 40+ years ago in a Catholic ceremony. The wife is Catholic, but the husband had never been baptized into any religion. So, this would have been a natural marriage. They have raised their children Catholic, and the husband always attended Mass with his wife. Well, this year, he went through RCIA and is now Catholic at the age of 66! So, does their natural marriage automatically become sacramental? If not, what are the benefits of having a sacramental marriage to them, and how would they go about the process?

Question 2: My cousin married his ex-wife in a civil ceremony at a golf course. He was Catholic at the time. So, not a valid marriage. He later converted to become Lutheran. Did that make his marriage valid, or is it invalid because he was Catholic at the time? If his marriage is not valid, would he need to convert back to be married in the Church?

Thanks for any insight.

 

[1ke]

So, does their natural marriage automatically become sacramental?

Yes, upon his baptism it became sacramental.

Question 2: My cousin married his ex-wife in a civil ceremony at a golf course. He was Catholic at the time. So, not a valid marriage.

Perhaps.

It is true that it was an invalid marriage if he did not obtain a dispensation from form (and if she was unbaptized also a dispensation from disparity of cult).

If he did receive dispensations, then it was a perfectly valid marriage barring some other defect or impediment.

He later converted to become Lutheran. Did that make his marriage valid, or is it invalid because he was Catholic at the time?

No. If the marriage was invalid, nothing could make valid but a convalidation in the Catholic Church, either a simple convalidation or a radical sanation.

Your cousin is still Catholic, as far as the Church is concerned.

If his marriage is not valid, would he need to convert back to be married in the Church?

yes.

 

[MomtoEandM]

My cousin did not get any dispensations. His ex-wife is Lutheran, and I believe it was a minister from her family church who performed their ceremony.

Thank you for your information.

 

[mab23]

1ke to the rescue

 

[aemcpa]

Question 1: Friends of my parents got married 40+ years ago in a Catholic ceremony. The wife is Catholic, but the husband had never been baptized into any religion. So, this would have been a natural marriage.

Because the ceremony was Catholic, I guess we can assume the dispensation for disparity of cult was granted? I know this was much more restricted in the 1917 Code of Canon Law.