Can someone who was married legally and divorced remarry in the Catholic church?

Question

it was a civil ceremony only- not a catholic wedding. I am catholic and no children are involved.

Answer 1

Although the answer depends on the specifics of your situation, if you are Catholic or plan to marry in a Catholic church, you likely will need to have your first marriage declared null. Depending on where you were married and whether you and/or your ex-spouse were baptized, the matter might be resolved rather simply, or it might take more examination and work.

As you prepare for your upcoming second wedding, you have probably given a great deal of thought to the sacredness of marriage. It is that sacredness that the Church’s marriage policy strives to protect. But while the Church believes that a valid marriage cannot be dissolved except through death, it also recognizes that what appears to be a valid marriage is not always so.

The Roman Catholic Church considers a marriage valid when:

It is celebrated in a ceremony according to Church law;
Both parties are free to marry each other;
Each partner intends, from the beginning of the marriage, to accept God's plan for married life as taught by the Church;
Each partner has the physical and psychological ability to live out the consent and commitment initially given to the marriage.

If any of these requirements are lacking from the beginning of the marriage, then the Tribunal, acting as the bishop's representative, can declare that marriage invalid.

Please note that children of an annulled marriage are still considered legitimate! A civil marriage did exist and the assumption of a Catholic marriage did exist. The marriage was consummated in good will; therefore children of the marriage always remain legitimate, even if at a later time that marriage is annulled.

Contact your pastor or a Church pastoral minister and investigate whether your previous marriage might be declared null. You should also educate yourself about the annulment process, annulment law and policies.

The choice to remarry without having received a declaration of nullity concerning one's prior marital bond sets a person apart from the Church with regard to full sacramental participation. One cannot receive Holy Communion when one's lifestyle is not in communion with the teachings of the Catholic faith. Still, there is grace to be gained through participation in Sunday worship, particularly in the nourishment that comes from God's Word, the Homily, the Church's devotional piety, coty fellowship, and other aspects of Catholic life.

Answer 2

All previous marriages, civil or religious, have to be dealt with before someone can be married in the Catholic Church.

The Catholic Church believes that God does not recognize civil divorces.

Jesus said, "Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate." (Mark 10:9)

However there may be hope of a declaration of nullity.

The term "annulment" is a misnomer because the Church does not undo or erase a marriage bond.

Rather the Church issues a declaration of nullity when it discovers that the parties were not truly joined by God and hence a full spiritual sacramental marriage as understood by the Church was not present.

Then the parties are free to marry for the first time.

With love in Christ.

Answer 3

Well...

I was married by a Justice of Peace when I was young, and was pregnant with my daughter. I decided that I wanted to have my daughter baptized in the Catholic church (I was rasied Catholic) but my husband was not.

We were told we needed to get married in the Church and attend pre-Cana classes. We did this and had my daughter baptized...

We we legally divorced eight years later... but according to the church we are still married because we never had the Church perform an Annulment. It would cost more money and time than I am willing to spend... at least at this point. So if someone has been married and divorced in the Catholic Church before, they would need to have and Annulment in the Church before getting married in the Catholic church again. If they weren't married in the Catholic Church in the first place it should not be a problem at all. I hope this helps!

Answer 4

As far as I am aware, you cannot remarry in a Catholic Church if you are divorced. However, here is the delimma - if you did not marry in the Catholic Church they would not recognise the marriage, so how does being divorced come into play? Your best option would be to go and speak to a Catholic Priest to find out the Church's standing on this issue.

Answer 5

The Catholic Church has changed alot in the last decade or so. Loosened up on some thing *many that follow the Vatican's rules don't have the service ONLY in Latin anymore things like that*

I would strongly suggest going to the Catholic Church you were thinking about using for your wedding ceremony and asking the presiding Father there. That should give you accurate answers as pertaining to that particular church, and your local area etc.

Good Luck.

Answer 6

This may be something you'll have to speak to your priest about. I know that a marriage not done in a Catholic Church or performed by a Catholic preist isn't fully recognized by the Catholic church. Also, some churches and diocese are different. My best advice is to go straight to the church you want to get married in and ask the priest. I know that when I went though precana(sp?) there were even topic and discussion points about people previously married, so it can't be completely barred.

Answer 7

Discuss with a Priest. This is not the forum here. You will get a lot of stupidity and hatred from people who don't know better. It can depend on so many things. For example, your boyfriend may have married a Catholic, but not in a Catholic Church. Just sit down with him and a Priest and discuss. There are always solutions of one form or another. Good luck and God bless you.

Answer 8

A marriage needs to be performed in a church to be recognized as valid by the Catholic church. A civil ceremony - while legal - is not a licit union in the Catholic church, so you do not have a problem. As it was never considered to be a true marriage, no annulment or other action is required.

Answer 9

i believe you can,my mom did,she had a Catholic wedding, she got divorced, and the new guy she met also was married Catholic, my mom and him met, but before they got married they needed an anulment first from the pope, which they both received, took quite a long time, but they had a big catholic wedding, lots of rules though about dresses that bride and bridesmaids wear, now they've been married 20 years, talk to your church, they will explain all rules and there's always ways around stuff, if they want to keep you as a member?

Answer 10

Since the first marriage wasn't held in a Catholic Church or presided over by a priest, there is no reason you can't be married in the Church now. You will have to talk to the parish priest and see what that Church's views and policies are. Every parish has their own guidlines they follow. I really don't think you will have a problem.