Catholics/am I legally married

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Expert: Fr. Timothy Johnson - 10/1/2008


Question
I met and married a C of E, I am Catholic. I met and fell in love I was married before but because of abusive behaviour I got divorced. I was a C of E at this time. I had some tragedy in my life and I looked to god. I studied and knew being a catholic was what I really wanted, and I put everything into it, my heart mind and soul. So I had my conformation,I did everything I could to become catholic, I was baptized catholic as I had no information or knew if I was really a C of E, I just assumed I was. Anyway, 5years later I met and fell in love with Sean. He was C of E, Neither of us pushed each other into changing our religion. When we both knew it was each other that we wanted to be with, We spoke to many churches, as it was so important to me to have gods blessing, it felt so right, but because we had been married before, it was really hard. The only person who would marry us was a C of E church, we jumped at it. The worst thing that I have done was to not tell then I was catholic, I wanted so much to be married in gods eyes. Now I'm worried, its been just over two years now, and I still feel really guilty. I let god down because of my love for sean. I was speaking to someone recently and they told me that our marriage should be annulled as it was illegal to get married this way. Could you please tell me if this is so. So I can put things right to god and my husband. I'm devistated, but want to do whats right. Please can you help me and tell me what I have to do to put things right.
Many thanks for all your help I really appriciate it.
Sydney

Answer
Hi, Sydney:
Thanks for the question.
If you wish to be a practicing Catholic, then the right place for you to begin would be to bring your circumstances to your local Catholic Parish Church through the Priest or authorized office staff.
The process would include lookng at any past marriages, and your baptismal status.  I am not able to decipher these very well based upon the information and sequence of events as described in your question here; but, don't give up.  You just need to take the step of going to the local Catholic Parish in person that can help you in concrete ways more than I can in this forum.  God bless you!

Fr. Timothy Johnson

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Fr. Timothy Johnson

Expertise

A Traditional Catholic Priest, validly and licitly ordained, incardinated legally and canonically in the Diocese of Fargo, and in good-standing with my Local Ordinary (Bishop) on active assignment at a rural Tri-Parish. I can provide honest and balanced answers to questions on topics pertaining to Traditional Roman Catholicism of the Latin Church (Councils of Trent and Vatican II)and a lot about the Eastern Catholic Churches, including the Sacred Liturgy, Sacred Scripture, Church History, the use of the Latin language, the tradition of Sacred Music, and current events in the Catholic Church from a traditional, historical and balanced perspective.

Experience

I have been ordained a Roman Catholic Priest since June 2001.

Organizations
Knights of Columbus; Church Music Association of America (CMAA)

Education/Credentials
Ordained Priest, 02 JUN 2001; Ordained Deacon, 27 JAN 2001; MA - Dogmatic/Systematic Theology; MDiv - Professional Degree from Seminary; 2-Years formation with Canons Regular of Premontre including studies and experience in Sacred Liturgy, Chant, Latin, Sacraments, Spirituality. BA - Scholastic/Thomistic Philosophy; BA - Liberal Arts; AA - General Studies.

Past/Present Clients
I serve 3-small, rural Parish Communities in Easter North Dakota
I converted to the Roman Catholic Church in 1981, at the age of 15. Over the years I have done work as an organist, cantor, and choir director for the Latin Rite (English & Latin) Mass (Liturgy of the Eucharist), and even for the Hours of the Divine Office. I have worked as a cantor for a Melkite Byzantine Catholic Church. Presently my pastoral and administrative duties as a Catholic Priest do not allow me as much time as I used to have to devote to Sacred Music; but for my weekend Masses and Solemnities within my Tri-Parish, I offer High Sung Mass in English. Weekday Mass is typically Low Mass (recited Mass) in English, though on occasion I will offer the "Tridentine Mass" in Latin, which I usually offer on my "Day Off", as well. And now, in light of the "Motu Proprio" by his Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI placing the extraordinary usage of the Roman Rite back into the mainstream of the Catholic Church, I have been offering a regularly scheduled SUN, 2:00 PM Tridentine Latin Mass with a community of the faithful that has a stable existence.

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