Annulment

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I am planning to become a catholic this coming fall, my husband is a catholic and was married before but since we got married in a civil ceremony, he was not require to get an annulment, if I become a catholic next year, what do we need to do ? does he needs to get an annulment from his ex wife and also, and do we have to get our marriage blessed again in a catholic church. Please advise.

-- Vivien Hebert (vivhebert@aol.com), February 19, 2005

Answers

Getting a civil marriage does not exempt one from the annulment. If you want to be received into the Catholic Church you must 'turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel'. This includes not having intimate relations 'of the married kind' with one who is not your husband - the Church does not consider your civil husband your husband, you are not married in the eyes of the Church.

In short, he needs an annulment if one can be had (all reasonable attempts at reconciliation between him and his 'ex' wife must be exhausted), and you need to have your marriage validated (blessed is not the proper term, but it is the common term).

-- Fr. Paul (pjdoucet@hotmail.com), February 19, 2005.


By the way, why ask on the internet? Why not just go see your parish priest? I assume you are already in R.C.I.A. if you intend to enter the Church this fall.

-- Fr. Paul (pjdoucet@hotmail.com), February 19, 2005.

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