Third Marriage Help

[answersneeded]

Looking for information to marry within the church.
I am a non-practicing Catholic. My 1st marriage was blessed by the Church. Both of us were Catholic. We divorced 12 years later. Neither of us got an annullment. I was remarried years later to a non-believer in a civil clerk of the courts deal. That spouse has recently left me and the divorce was final a few weeks ago.
My 1st spouse is now deceased. I would like to return to the Church now. Do I need an annullment for the second marriage that was not valid so that I may partake in the sacraments and to be married in the Church in the future?

Thanks

 

[Corki]

Two separate questions.

If you are not now married or intimately involved with a potential third spouse, in order to return to the Sacraments, you need to go to Confession for everything, including the second marriage.

You do need to have the tribunal (or in some diocese, it is more streamlined) look into the validity of the second marriage. It is likely, however that this wouldn’t need a full annulment process. Go ask your priest or even bring it up when you go to Confession.

Welcome back.

 

[bilop]

Looking for information to marry within the church.
I am a non-practicing Catholic. My 1st marriage was blessed by the Church. Both of us were Catholic. We divorced 12 years later. Neither of us got an annullment. I was remarried years later to a non-believer in a civil clerk of the courts deal. That spouse has recently left me and the divorce was final a few weeks ago.
My 1st spouse is now deceased. I would like to return to the Church now. Do I need an annullment for the second marriage that was not valid so that I may partake in the sacraments and to be married in the Church in the future?

Thanks

Welcom to CAF!

You really need to speak to a good Priest ASAP.

But, in general, the Church does not recognize civil marriages for Catholics. Given that you were already married at that point, it is very likely that you 2nd marriage was invalid. It should be a relatively simple procedure to get it declared null.

To return to the sacraments, you need only attend confession. To marry in the Church, you will need a decree of nullity, which will likely be easy to obtain.

God Bless

 

[puzzleannie]

Looking for information to marry within the church.
I am a non-practicing Catholic. My 1st marriage was blessed by the Church. Both of us were Catholic. We divorced 12 years later. Neither of us got an annullment. I was remarried years later to a non-believer in a civil clerk of the courts deal. That spouse has recently left me and the divorce was final a few weeks ago.
My 1st spouse is now deceased. I would like to return to the Church now. Do I need an annullment for the second marriage that was not valid so that I may partake in the sacraments and to be married in the Church in the future?

Thanks

assuming facts are complete as stated and there are no other factors it appears as if you would need to apply for a ruling that the second marriage is invalid due to defect of form. If the first spouse was still alive at that time, the marriage is also invalid due to the existing contract. It is not a full annulment investigation, mostly paperwork but your starting point is still an interview with your pastor. He will quite likely suggest some type of counselling on the reasons your past marriages broke up, with a view to help you avoid making the same mistakes again. In fact, sometimes an annulment is granted with a proviso that marriage may not be attempted again until such counselling is completed. Not saying it will happen but that it might. In general, the first marriage is investigated first, then the second marriage, based on the finding about the first, and so on.

If you have not remarried and are otherwise living a good moral life, you need only go to confession and return to communion to be reconciled with the Church. You are not required to take any action with regard to your past marriages unless you contemplate marriage again.

Welcome Home!

 

[1ke]

Do I need an annullment for the second marriage that was not valid so that I may partake in the sacraments and to be married in the Church in the future?

How wonderful that you want to return to the Sacraments.

You will need to make an appointment to get it all sorted out with your priest. You will need to provide paperwork (like the death certificate) showing your first spouse has passed away, and the marriage/divorce paperwork for your second marriage. While not a full tribunal nullity case, there will be some paperwork to do for that marriage (defect of form).

It should be relatively quick to take care of these things. Don’t delay. Talk to the priest soon.

 

[Caesar517]

Glad to have you back.

This is too complicated to be accurately discussed online. You need to see a priest and explain your situation to him.