Sad that I have to leave the Church

[Phemie]

Before you leave your RC church, I agree that you should take it to the local Tribunal–I hope that there is one. Your local priest prob isn’t the local expert in all of this.

Your wife’s marriage sounds that it doesn’t factor in this at all–she wasn’t Catholic, her husband wasn’t Catholic, the wedding wasn’t RC–nothing to annul. I don’t understand how the ex enters into it.

Of course there is something to annul. As a non-Catholic she was under no obligation to marry according to the rules of the Catholic Church so her first marriage is presumed to be valid until it’s proven otherwise. That’s why she has to petition for a decree of nullity. Only once her previous marriage is declared null can she marry him in the Catholic Church.

YOU married outside. So YOUR marriage isn’t valid, so …you marry now in the RC church. I think that your kids were legitimate.

Get* all *the answers before you decide anything.

 

[jmcrae]

Before you leave your RC church, I agree that you should take it to the local Tribunal–I hope that there is one. Your local priest prob isn’t the local expert in all of this.

Your wife’s marriage sounds that it doesn’t factor in this at all–she wasn’t Catholic, her husband wasn’t Catholic, the wedding wasn’t RC–nothing to annul.

This is incorrect - we recognize the existence and validity of non-Catholic marriages.

As far as we know right now, and until the Tribunal rules otherwise, the woman is still married to her first husband (and will be until death they do part, just like they promised in their vows. Being Protestant at the time of the wedding doesn’t invalidate this vow - and becoming Protestant won’t invalidate it, either).

I don’t understand how the ex enters into it. YOU married outside. So YOUR marriage isn’t valid, so …you marry now in the RC church.

No, first they have to see whether the woman is validly married to her first husband. (Chances are good that no marriage took place, especially if he was abusive, since if he thought he was acquiring a punching bag, then obviously he didn’t understand the vow he was making - but that is a matter for the Tribunal to figure out.)

I think that your kids were legitimate.

If they are named in their father’s will, then they are certainly legitimate in every sense of that word that counts for anything.

Get* all *the answers before you decide anything.

This is brilliant advice.