Remarriage for Converts?

[ajpirc]

When two married Protestants convert to the Church, must they get remarried? I know that the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony is given by the two people getting married and you don’t have to be Catholic to receive it, but how is the Church to know if the marriage was valid?

 

[Corki]

The Church recognizes as valid the marriage of non-Catholics as long as they followed the rules for their own Church. Since most Protestant churches don’t have rules about invalid marriages, this pretty much covers all marriages between two Protestants as long as they were free to marry (no prior marriage, not under age, etc).

 

[1ke]

When two married Protestants convert to the Church, must they get remarried?

If they are validly married, no. They married validly when they married each other civilly.

If they are invalidly married (i.e. they have some impediment like a prior marriage) then they would have to deal with their impediment issue (i.e. decree of nullity or other process depending upon the circumstance) and then convalidate their marriage.

I know that the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony is given by the two people getting married and you don’t have to be Catholic to receive it, but how is the Church to know if the marriage was valid?

They will have a detailed interview and provide paperwork to the priest prior to being received into the Church. Through this process, any impediments or irregularities that need to be dealt with would be discussed.

 

[Matthew_Holford]

When two married Protestants convert to the Church, must they get remarried?

No, they’re marriage is valid and sacramental and recognised by the Catholic Church

I know that the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony is given by the two people getting married and you don’t have to be Catholic to receive it, but how is the Church to know if the marriage was valid?

Like all marriages, even Catholic ones, the Church takes the marriage to be valid until the contrary is proven. This might happen if one of the spouses petitioned for a declaration of nullity of marriage.

If two married Protestants have been received into the Catholic Church She will recognise their marriage as valid and sacramental.