I am catholic, and my first marriage (he was not catholic) was performed by a judge in a civil ceremony. It ended in divorce. My current marriage is to a catholic (his first marriage) and was performed in the Bahamas in a non-catholic religious setting. Question: Did my first marriage have to be annulled if it was a civil ceremony? And, with regards to my second marriage, can I renew my vows in the catholic church (for my anniversary)?

-- Joy Gossman (jgossman@co.lake.il.us), May 17, 2004

Answers

Any previous marriage must be "annulled" (that is to say declared invalid) before a Catholic is free to marry. You need not merely "renew your vows" in the Catholic Church; but you actually need to marry in the Catholic Church, as you are not currently married in the eyes of the Church. However, you cannot do that until the matter of your previous marriage is settled. You should ask your priest to guide you in submitting your first marriage to the tribunal. Then, if you receive a writ of nullity, you can marry the man you are now with.

-- Paul M. (PaulCyp@cox.net), May 17, 2004.

Hi,

I went through a similar situation in 1999. The Catholic church does not recognize your marriages since you are a baptized catholic and not married under the catholic law/church.

You do need to get an annulment from the first marriage, which is a rather simple matter since it isn't really recognized. All I had to do is meet with my priest and tell him that I was married civillly. He then told me on the spot it was not recognized. I think he used the term that there was a 'lack of form.' I gave my priest the marriage cirtificate that showed that a catholic priest had not precided over the ceremony, and also a recent baptismal certificate that showed in the back that I had never been married.

Once you are married under the catholic law, your church notifies the church that baptized you, and your baptismal papers are stamped with your spouses name, date, and place of marriage. Since this has never happend in your case, you can forgo the interview with the tribunal counsel and supplying witnesses that are needed for a catholic marriage, plus the expences.

Sheryl

-- Sheryl Schenkman (Sheri8000@aol.com), May 20, 2004.