My fiancee isn't Catholic but was married in the Catholic church. His marriage was dissolved legally but no Catholic Annulment. We want to get married but he doesn't want Annulment as it's not something he believes in. He will do it for me though if I tell him it's what I want. My question is this, if we get married outside of the Catholic church, will I be excommmunicated for 'living in sin' because he is still married in the eyes of the church?
2006-07-11 04:38:01 · 8 answers · asked by Tact is highly overrated 5 in Family & Relationships ➔ Marriage & Divorce
--Is Catholic--
First buy this book (by a good Catholic Lawyer)
Annulments And The Catholic Church: Straight Answers To Tough Questions (Paperback)
by Edward N. Peters
Now your questions. Because of your concerns, I assume that you are Catholic.
The first marriage of your fiancee is assumed to be sacramental and valid until proven otherwise. That means that the Church considers your fiancee to be still married to his wife and that he may not marry you. You would not be allowed to marry in the Catholic Church.
If you married outside of the Church, it would be considered non-binding, as well as an attempt to invalidly conduct a sacrament on the part of your fiancee (as he is assumed to be bound by the sacrament to his wife), and for you if you intended for the marriage to be sacramental. You are not considered to be "living in sin" until you have sex. Then you would be considered to be living in adultery, which is a mortal sin. You would be barred from the sacraments (if no one actually does this, God is still watching), but this would not be considered canonical excommunication.
In his Apostolic Exhortation on the Family, Pope John Paul II explained:
“They [divorced and remarried] are unable to be admitted [to the Eucharist] from the fact that their state and condition of life objectively contradict that union of love between Christ and the Church which is signified and effected by the Eucharist. … If these people were admitted to Eucharist, the faithful would be led into error and confusion regarding the Church’s teaching about the indissolubility of marriage.”
One would enter back into the life of the Church by
1. Getting the first marriage annulled, seeking confession for marring outside of the Church, and getting the marriage convalidated.
OR
2. If annulment is impossible, then living with the husband only as brother and sister (or leaving all together), and seek confession.
Hope this helps! Buy that book and God bless!
2006-07-13 07:33:41 · answer #1 · answered by Liet Kynes 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Annulment only matters if you are Catholic. An annulment is a declaration by the church saying that the marriage never really existed. If you are Catholic and want to be married in the Catholic church he may have to get his first marriage annuled.
2006-07-11 12:08:58 · answer #2 · answered by Ted 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Since he is not Catholic, there is no need for an annulment. I'm assuming you are Catholic for the rest of this answer. If you get married without a Catholic ceremony, your marriage will not be considered "licit" in the church. Get yourself to a priest and gather some information, because what you do will affect the rest of your life. This all depends upon how important your faith and church are to you and how you would like your children to be raised. For me, there was no question that I would marry a Catholic, and have children raised Catholic. Make your choices wisely!
2006-07-11 11:45:03 · answer #3 · answered by Lydia 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
An annulment is a declaration by a Church tribunal that a marriage thought to be valid according to Church law actually fell short of at least one of the essential elements required for a binding union. The Catholic Church affirms that, in a true marriage, a man and a woman become "one flesh" before the eyes of God. The Church views marriage as a sacrament validly contracted and entered into by one man and one woman. Various impediments can render a person unable to validly contract a sacramental marriage. And, besides impediments, marriage consent can be rendered null due to invalidating factors such as simulation or deceit, or to psychic incapacity.
2014-08-03 21:54:24 · answer #4 · answered by ? 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
You only need an annullment if you want to re-marry in the
catholic church. Considering he's already divorced (which is
considered sinful) who gives a rats *** anyway?
2006-07-11 12:00:06 · answer #5 · answered by Careerguy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no, you will not be excommunicated, but your marriage can't be recognized by tha tchurch until he gets a nannulment. I think you need to talk to him more indepth about why he doesnt' want an annulment, because it seems to me that if he is really over his ex, then he would be eager to get rid of that part of his life, and dissolve the marriage fully.
2006-07-11 11:43:26 · answer #6 · answered by Liz 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If he will do ANYTHING FOR YOU, he will get an annulment, especially if religion is not that important to him. It is important to you. See your local priest and ask his addvise. I went throught the annulment process and the only thing I objected to (long time ago) WAS THAT IT KIND OF TOLD ME MY CHILDREN WERE ILLEGITIMATE. Did it anyway. Things may have changed. SEE YOUR PRIEST>
2006-07-11 11:45:52 · answer #7 · answered by bobbyski 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you won't be excommunicated but you won't be considered married in the church.
2006-07-11 11:40:44 · answer #8 · answered by mimismom 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋