My fiance and I, both of whom are Catholic, got married in a Civil Ceremony (local Registry office) about 3 years ago. No one knows about it (friends or family) and we are now planning to get married in the Catholic church/faith. Would it be possible for us to have a civil wedding, recognised by the church although we are already legally married?

Your help would be most appreciated!

-- Jackie Jones (jacksneil@hotmail.com), February 07, 2005

Answers

It is not possible for you to be validly married in a civil ceremony regardless of whether you are already "legally married" or not. A civil ceremony does not result in a valid marriage for a Catholic. And it is not possible for you to be validly married until you apply for and receive an annulment of your first civil "marriage".

-- Paul M. (PaulCyp@cox.net), February 07, 2005.

Hold on there Paul...what are you talking about? The question is unclear, but it seems to me the "previous" marriage was to each other; they need not an annulment. They need to have their marriage validated, and that can be done with a Catholic Marriage rite.

"Would it be possible for us to have a civil wedding, recognised by the church although we are already legally married?"

The above is very confusing in light of "we are now planning to get married in the Catholic church/faith."

The civil wedding? A new one, or the one that took place 3 yrs. ago?

-- Fr. Paul (pjdoucet@hotmail.com), February 12, 2005.

Righto, Fr. Paul. I misread the original post. Sorry.

-- Paul M. (PaulCyp@cox.net), February 12, 2005.