Re-Marriage To Catholic Man

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Can a christian woman, who has been married before (never in the Catholic Church) marry a Catholic man, in the Catholic church. My question is two-fold... if so, what does that woman have to do? Get previous marriage annuled by the church? Be baptized Catholic? He is divorced with an annulment... I am a divorced Christian who would like to know what I may be in for should this progress, or perhaps it won't due to these obstacles. Any help or advice would be a blessing.

-- Lane Farris (DejaBlueVa@aol.com), June 30, 2003

Answers

Jmj
Hello, Lane.

In order for the woman to be able to marry the man (in your hypothetical situation), she must obtain from the Catholic Church, formal declarations of the nullity of each of her "marriages." If the Church, in studying her past "union(s)," determines that she once entered into a valid marriage with a man who is still alive, then she is not free to marry the Catholic man now, because she is still married. [The fact that there was a divorce is not relevant.]

If the woman is found to be free to marry, she need not become a Catholic in order to marry the Catholic man. You asked if this "Christian woman" needs to be "baptized Catholic." Catholics believe that if the woman is not yet baptized, she is not really yet a "Christian." On the other hand, if she was validly baptized, she cannot be re-baptized upon becoming Catholic. Her non-Catholic Christian baptism is recognized as valid. [This does not include Mormon baptism, which is not considered valid.]

If a day comes when this woman is convinced that Jesus founded the Catholic Church and desires that all people belong to it, then she must become a Catholic in order to be saved.

God bless you.
John

-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@hotmail.com), July 01, 2003.


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