randy leo

[rdy0612]

Hi, My wife and I have been married for 8 years. We were not married in a Catholic Church. My wife is Catholic and I just finished RCIA and was baptised,confirmed and made first communion on 3/30/2013. We both were married previously and divorced. I have heard that we will have to convalidate our marriage. I am confused and don’t know what this means. Do we also have to get an anullment for our previous marriages? Thanks in advance for any answers to my questions.

 

[agnes_therese]

Hi, My wife and I have been married for 8 years. We were not married in a Catholic Church. My wife is Catholic and I just finished RCIA and was baptised,confirmed and made first communion on 3/30/2013. We both were married previously and divorced. I have heard that we will have to convalidate our marriage. I am confused and don’t know what this means. Do we also have to get an anullment for our previous marriages? Thanks in advance for any answers to my questions.

You really need to sit down with your priest to discuss this. There are a number of questions he will have to ask in order to clarify your situation. I’m a little surprised this wasn’t addressed when you were admitted to RCIA.

P.S. Welcome home!

 

[triumphguy]

Hi, My wife and I have been married for 8 years. We were not married in a Catholic Church. My wife is Catholic and I just finished RCIA and was baptised,confirmed and made first communion on 3/30/2013. We both were married previously and divorced. I have heard that we will have to convalidate our marriage. I am confused and don’t know what this means. Do we also have to get an anullment for our previous marriages? Thanks in advance for any answers to my questions.

Convalidate means to repeat your vows in front of the priest so that the Church can witness to the fact of your marriage.

Marriage is a “natural” sacrament, deriving from our nature as created beings made for one another - the spouses confer the sacrament on each other.

Based on what you’ve said your priest deems that your first marriages were not sacramental, but this one is, however it has not been witnessed by the Church. The Church needs to witness you both renewing your consent to marry in order to verify the validity of the sacrament.

But check with your priest.