Valid marriage? Annulment?

[psalm51mercy]

Had a conversation with a friend the other day who is thinking about remarriage. She was married when she was 17 in Las Vegas, in the “Chapel of Love” (obviously not Catholic). Had two kids early in marriage and went through RCIA with her husband. They separated and divorced shortly thereafter. They have been apart for 15 or so years. Any thoughts on whether her marriage is valid or if annulment is possible? Thanks.

 

[Bergon]

Advise your friend to speak to her priest. So many possible ifs, buts that it’d be hard to answer. I’m sure Church’d want to go through some process to look at the situation.

 

[thistle]

Had a conversation with a friend the other day who is thinking about remarriage. She was married when she was 17 in Las Vegas, in the “Chapel of Love” (obviously not Catholic). Had two kids early in marriage and went through RCIA with her husband. They separated and divorced shortly thereafter. They have been apart for 15 or so years. Any thoughts on whether her marriage is valid or if annulment is possible? Thanks.

 

[1ke]

Any thoughts on whether her marriage is valid or if annulment is possible? Thanks.

NO, there are way too many missing facts.

Your friend simply needs to make an appointment with her pastor to lay out all the facts and he will guide her from there.

 

[Minnesota1]

Marriage is indeed valid and yes annullment required before confession or communion.

 

[runningdude]

Had a conversation with a friend the other day who is thinking about remarriage. She was married when she was 17 in Las Vegas, in the “Chapel of Love” (obviously not Catholic). Had two kids early in marriage and went through RCIA with her husband. They separated and divorced shortly thereafter. They have been apart for 15 or so years. Any thoughts on whether her marriage is valid or if annulment is possible? Thanks.

Her young age could have invalidated her vows if she were affectively immature. The original marriage would then be null, and could be annulled if the tribunal found her too young to properly understand the marriage commitment.

However, the RCIA part gets tricky, because she shouldn’t have been received into the church while living in an invalid marriage. If she and her husband had a small church wedding as part of the conversion process, it would be extremely difficult to find an invalidating defect that the church overlooked (the church is in the business of marriage specifically to prevent these defects!)

The marriage tribunal of your dioceses is set up to investigate these matters. Her parish priest will be in a better position to discern the pertinent details and refer her to the tribunal if appropriate.

 

[maryjk]

Marriage is indeed valid and yes annullment required before confession or communion.

How could you possibly know that?

There isn’t enough information in the OP.

 

[concretecamper]

Minnesota1:

Marriage is indeed valid and yes annullment required before confession or communion.

Absolutely wrong. I hope you did not mean what you typed. An annulment is not required prior to receiving the Eucharist if she is living as single and in the state of grace.

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[SMHW]

Marriage is indeed valid and yes annullment required before confession or communion.

Not a logical possibility. A valid marriage can’t be ruled null.

We can spend all day listing the possible reasons why this particular marriage might or might not be valid but none of that is a substitute for contacting her parish.