Wife Converting to Catholicism

[hurst]

tjmiller:

If you are both validly baptized Christians, then your marriage is, ipso facto, Sacramental.

Every marriage between validly baptized Christians, of whatever stripe, is a Sacrament - and therefore subject to the laws of the Catholic Church.

But if one of them is a Catholic, they are required to be married by the Church. So if they get married outside of the Church, then there is an impediment to grace that can only be resolved by having the marriage convalidated. Until that happens, the Catholic may not receive Communion, and any absolution in confession will be dependent upon the resolution to rectify the situation.

hurst

 

[hurst]

Mike_D30:

By that rationale, my wife should be able to go to reconciliation and start recieving communion. I’ve heard what you’re saying before, that since we’re both Baptized Catholic’s, irregardless of who performs the ceremony the Sacrament of Matrimony, it is valid and performed. So niether my wife nor I are in a bad state.

Actually, regardless if you were both baptized Catholic, if you were married outside the Church at a time when at least one of you was a Catholic, then you are in a bad state for breaking a law of the Church, and should not be receiving Communion until it is rectified. But thankfully you are seeking to do what you need to do to make things right in the eyes of the Church. God bless you for trying. It can be confusing nowadays.

Since your wife was Protestant when you got married, and you were married outside of the Church, then what you need to do is have your marriage “convalidated” by your priest. Please confirm this with your monsignor. It is more important than you seem to realize.

hurst