My husband and I were civilly wedded here in the Philippines last month. He lives in Canada and I live in the Philippines. We don't live together now because we're processing my papers to go there. We are planning to have a Catholic wedding in January although he is a Greek Orthodox. Do we still have to undergo the canonical interview and have the wedding banns even if we are already married? When is the latest we can have the interview? Thanks! I appreciate all the responses.

-- Ella Tsioutsis (magis823@yahoo.com), May 08, 2003

Answers

Response to Canonical Interview & Wedding Banns for Civilly-wed couples

Jmj
Hello, Ella.

You asked: "Do we still have to undergo the canonical interview and have the wedding banns even if we are already married?"

In the eyes of God and his Church, you are not "already married." Your "civil wed[ding]" is not recognized as valid. (Sorry if that comes as a shock to you.)

Please ask the man you love to visit his Catholic pastor in Canada to determine what will be required of you when you arrive in that country (unless you can begin to take care of things already now in the Philippines). The rule of your friend's bishop may require you to spend some months in preparation, possibly attending pre-Catholic-marriage classes.

God bless you.
John

-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@hotmail.com), May 08, 2003.

Response to Canonical Interview & Wedding Banns for Civilly-wed couples

Correction:
Ella, in the message above, I referred to "his Catholic pastor" and "your friend's [Catholic] bishop." But I forgot that you are the Catholic party, not he.
I should have referred to "the Catholic pastor of the parish wherein you will be living" and "your future Catholic bishop in Canada."
Please excuse the errors.
John

-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@hotmail.com), May 08, 2003.