When does a marriage need to blessed?

[lebe]

I was Lutheran (now Catholic), married a Catholic. We were married by my pastor in a Lutheran church. I recently attended a Catholic wedding, and wondered if my marriage of 12 years need to be blessed in the Catholic church?

 

[Fr.Charles_Grondin]

Every Catholic is required by canon law to be married in the Church or to receive a dispensation from their bishop to be married elsewhere. If you or your bride was a Catholic at the time of your marriage then dispensation from canonical form was required to be married outside the Church. If your marriage did not receive that dispensation then your marriage is not valid in the eyes of the Church. Your marriage needs to be convalidated (“blessed”). Your local pastor can help you with that process.