Status of divorced person (non Catholic) in eyes of Church

[Cirdan_XII]

A question.

A person I know (not Catholic) was married in her own Church and also for the state. Later she divorced before the state but never asked for a divorce before her church (I’m not sure if her church even offers divorces, neither is she, but she won’t rule it out absolutely). The divorce is thus not recognised by her church. Obviously, the Catholic church would recognise her marriage but not her divorce and therefore consider her still married. Is this right? Now presently her ex-husband is very ill and this made me wonder. If he dies, would she then be unmarried in the eyes of the Catholic church? Or would she still be divorced? I’m asking because she has considered becoming Catholic.

 

[1ke]

She is currently civilly divorced and not free to marry anyone else unless the Catholic Church were to determine her first marriage was invalid.

If her husband dies, she is free to marry again. Valid marriages end with the death of the spouse.

Either way, she can join the Church.

 

[Amandil]

A question.

A person I know (not Catholic) was married in her own Church and also for the state. Later she divorced before the state but never asked for a divorce before her church (I’m not sure if her church even offers divorces, neither is she, but she won’t rule it out absolutely). The divorce is thus not recognised by her church. Obviously, the Catholic church would recognise her marriage but not her divorce and therefore consider her still married. Is this right?

Mae-govannen! It’s always a blessing to encounter one of the eldar!

The default position of the Church is to assume that all marriages entered into by the spouses are valid.

Now presently her ex-husband is very ill and this made me wonder. If he dies, would she then be unmarried in the eyes of the Catholic church? Or would she still be divorced? I’m asking because she has considered becoming Catholic.

If he dies I would say that the marriage is in fact dissolved. She’d should be be free to marry.

But I could be mistaken.

 

[ahs]

The default position of the Church is to assume that all marriages entered into by the spouses are valid.

Yep…unless proven otherwise. She is assumed to be Married.

If he dies I would say that the marriage is in fact dissolved. She’d should be be free to marry.

But I could be mistaken.

If he dies, the Marriage is ended, reagrdless of anything else…because Marriage ends at death.