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Expert: Fr. Timothy Johnson - 7/25/2008


Question
Hi!  I am a practicing Catholic engaged to a non Catholic.  His divorce was finalized 8 years ago but there are 3 children in the mix.  Everyone is Baptized.  When the kids are here, I do take them to Mass. We go to Mass ourselves when the kids aren't here so there is no issue where we will go after marriage.  My parents (both Catholics) are very upset.  How can I make sure that the marriage will be blessed in the eyes of the Church?  This is of upmost importance to me.

Answer
Hi, Nichole:
Thanks for the question.
Of course you understand that of the Sacrament of Marriage Jesus taught us: "What God has joined, let no man put asunder."  The whole point of the "Anullment" process is to subject a prior marriage bond to the authority of the Church through a Tribunal, in order to see whether in fact or not God actually joined that prior marriage.
This would be the case for the non-Catholic to whom you are currently engaged.  Most likely, you would need to present a "formal case" to your local Marriage Tribunal in your Diocese, especially if he and his former spouse were both baptized persons.
However, if either one of them was not baptized, then you could look at the "Petrine Privelege" of having the former non-sacramental marriage dissolved "in favor of the Faith."  The first step you need to take for marriage in the Catholic Church is to approach your Parish Priest, and present your circumstances as they exist.  Then I should hope he would be able to advise you on particular steps you would need to take from there forward.
I wish you the very best in everything!

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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