Catholics/Marriage & Divorced

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Expert: Fr. Timothy Johnson - 12/27/2008


Question
A Catholic is married to a Catholic by a minister (not Catholic) and divorced; married again to an Episcopalian by a justice of the peace and divorced; married a catholic, who has never been married before, in a civil ceremony; can the third marriage be validated by the Catholic Church?

Answer
Hi, S Fox:
Thanks for the question, and Merry Christmas!

This question seems a lot like the question of the Pharisees to Jesus about whose wife will she be in the resurrection of the dead...
Provided that the first two attempted marriages by the Catholic were undertaken WITHOUT a Dispensation from Canonical Form, then the Catholic would need to submit a "Lack of Form Case" for the previous two marriages done without dispensation.
Once the above steps have been undertaken, then the Catholic along with the Catholic spouse who has never before been married will need to present themselves to the Parish Priest to get either a "convalidation" or a "sanation" of the current bond.  Once this has been undertaken, then the status of these persons in the Church will be "regular."  Of course the same spouses ought to undertake to make a general Confession in the Sacrament of Penance to get a fresh start in God's Grace, and then pray for perseverence.

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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