Will my marriage need to be convalidated?

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giddyromilly

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Alrighty, here’s the scenario: I was once LDS (Mormon), but left the church to become a secular agnostic more than four years before I met my now husband, who was never baptized and has always been a secular agnostic. I’m now learning that my Mormon baptism may not have been valid in the eyes of the Church, as I am hoping to be confirmed soon. My marriage was a civil one with no religious affiliation, and my husband will continue to be secular while I convert to Catholicism. Will my marriage require convalidation?

I have a meeting with my priest scheduled who will give me more information specific to other circumstances, but this one aspect of converting has been concerning me and I’d like to get it off my chest. The only reason I worry is because my husband is happy for me to pursue a relationship with the Church… so long as I don’t pressure him into converting as well. I think he would see convalidation as pressure. I haven’t brought it up to him yet in case it’s a non-issue, but I’d like to get it addressed soon.

Edited to add: This is both of our first and only marriage. We have no children yet, either with anyone else or with each other. We were married civilly but not religiously, since neither of us are baptized or were religious in any way at the time.
 
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If neither of you were baptized Catholic, and neither of you were married to someone else previously, the Church would presume your marriage to be valid no matter where you got married. It wouldn’t be necessary to have it convalidated.

Even if it was necessary, going through convalidation doesn’t need to be viewed as pressure to convert. But you don’t need to worry about it.
 
Thank you! I didn’t think it would necessarily be “pressure,” but I’d rather avoid the issue if I don’t have to worry him with it. Thanks again!
 
Two non-baptized people (or one baptized + one unbaptized) who have no other impediments (Catholic baptism, prior marriage, etc.) enter into valid natural marriages every day!
 
Thank you! I get all anxious at the thought of roadblocks, no matter how small or surmountable they probably are. 😂
 
Just to add one thing: obviously your marriage is valid, but let’s say it wasn’t. One option would be to apply for a radical sanation, literally “healing at the roots”. This means that your marriage would be retroactively made valid through paperwork. This is a common practice in situations where one party feels the original consent was sufficient.
 
You would not have to have your marriage convalidated as the others have explained.

You will need to be baptized as the Church does not recognize a Mormon baptism as valid.
 
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