Validity mixed marriage

[erop]

Hello,

I am a Roman Catholic in a “mixed marriage” - my wife is baptist. We were married in a baptist church, without a bishops dispensation and obviously no priest was present. We married in our early 40’s four years ago (my first marriage; her second) but unfortunantly due to various reasons, including constant tensions over our religious differences, we are seperated and getting a divorce. I would like to know the following:

                        a) Is my marriage valid?
                        b) Do I require an annulment?

Thank you for any help.

Yours in Christ.
erop

 

[benedictgal]

Hello,

I am a Roman Catholic in a “mixed marriage” - my wife is baptist. We were married in a baptist church, without a bishops dispensation and obviously no priest was present. We married in our early 40’s four years ago (my first marriage; her second) but unfortunantly due to various reasons, including constant tensions over our religious differences, we are seperated and getting a divorce. I would like to know the following:

                        a) Is my marriage valid?
                        b) Do I require an annulment?

Thank you for any help.

Yours in Christ.
erop

Your marriage is invalid due to a defect of form. As a Catholic, you needed to get the proper counseling and advice from the priest, as well as permission to have had the ceremony performed in her ecclesial community. A priest should have been present to witness the marriage. Furthermore, she should have secured an annulment from her first marriage, given the fact that the Church would have considered that mariage valid.

I would suggest that you contact a priest to be on the safe side, but, from what you described, you were in an invalid marriage.

 

[Phemie]

Your first stop should be your priest’s office.

On the face of it, a marriage that was lacking in canonical form and to someone whom the Church considered already married (divorce doesn’t count) would be invalid.

 

[bilop]

Hello,

I am a Roman Catholic in a “mixed marriage” - my wife is baptist. We were married in a baptist church, without a bishops dispensation and obviously no priest was present. We married in our early 40’s four years ago (my first marriage; her second) but unfortunantly due to various reasons, including constant tensions over our religious differences, we are seperated and getting a divorce. I would like to know the following:

                        a) Is my marriage valid?
                        b) Do I require an annulment?

Thank you for any help.

Yours in Christ.
erop

From what you describe, your marriage was invalid due to defect of form.

If you ever wish to marry or enter religious life, you will need a decree of nullity. It will be very easy to get. All you’ll need to do is provide proof of your Catholic baptism, and proof that the attempt at marriage was done without dispensation. It should take a matter of weeks. (my sister’s husband had a similar situation, and the decree came trough very quickly).

Once your civil divorce is final, speak to your local parish priest, and he will advise you how to proceed.

You should also get to confession ASAP

God Bless and I hope this situation resolves itself for the best.

 

[SMHW]

On the face of it your marriage is invalid due to lack of form. (As others have said.)

Assuming that is the case you shouldn’t actually need a formal annulment but you will need to provide documentation that shows why your marriage was not valid. That will take some time, although not so much as an annulment.

In any case, speak to your priest.

 

[Aramis]

Hello,

I am a Roman Catholic in a “mixed marriage” - my wife is baptist. We were married in a baptist church, without a bishops dispensation and obviously no priest was present. We married in our early 40’s four years ago (my first marriage; her second) but unfortunantly due to various reasons, including constant tensions over our religious differences, we are seperated and getting a divorce. I would like to know the following:

                        a) Is my marriage valid?
                        b) Do I require an annulment?

Thank you for any help.

Yours in Christ.
erop

a) probably not, almost assuredly if as described.
b) Yes, just for formality of establishing a.

And C confess it!

 

[Thomas63116]

Others have already answered your questions. But since no one else has said it, you are in our prayers at what must be a difficult time for you. Also, welcome to the forums.