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Expert: Fr. Timothy Johnson - 3/23/2008


Question
I am an unmarried Catholic.  I wish to marry my fiancee.  He was born a Catholic but his mother left him at the age of 6 months.  He cannot locate his baptism cert.  He was brought up by his grandparents in the church of england.  He was subsequently divorced as his ex-wife left him for another man.

We are thinking of getting married in a catholic church but I know it will entail getting his marriage annulled.  But going back to his wife & digging up all that info is not an option.

If we cannot get married in a catholic church, can I later baptise our children as Catholics ?

Thanks !  

Answer
Hi, Louise:
Thanks for the question.
You will need to run this past the local Priest; but it seems to me possible that you might make a case for his being "bound to Canonical Form" by virtue of his Catholic Baptism.  In this case, if it is possible to make such a case, then no anullment process or decree would be necessary.  You would need only seek a decree of "Lack of Form" for him, and this would suffice to stand that the previous marriage had been invalid in the eyes of the Catholic Church.  It might seem like kind of a stretch, but may be possible.
As for baptism in the Catholic Church of children of parents, neither one of whom can practice their Faith, it seems that there may not be a firm assurance that the children would actually be raised Catholic - certainly they would not have much example from their own parents.
But, again, you would need to run all of this past your local Parish Priest.
Happy Easter!

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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