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Expert: Fr. Timothy Johnson - 3/4/2009


Question
I am a non-catholic and my fiancé is catholic as is her entire immediate family.  I have a divorce that was final 7 years ago and in my state an annulment is next to impossible to receive especially since the divorces is final.  Our problem is that everything I have read states that we can not be married in a catholic ceremony and that the Church will not acknowledge any union between the two of us because of my previous marriage and my status as a non-catholic.  This is absolutely crushing my fiancé and is not setting well with the family either.  I was not raise in a religious home therefore I have never affiliated myself with any one religion nor have I ever been baptized.  I have accompanied her and her family to mass on many of an occasion and I have always supported her and her faith completely and without question and I do not intend to stop this practice.  Can you please let me know if there is any hope for us to be married so that the Church will recognize us as such and still keep her in good standing within her faith?

Respectfully
Greg

Answer
Hi, Greg:
Thanks for the question.
With respect to the question of a civil anullment on your previous marriage, there would be no bearing here... The fact that you are civilly divorced is pertinent.
Since you are not baptized, there is no question of your former marriage having been sacramental, and therefore absolutely indissoluble, provided it had been lawful and valid.
It seems to me that you could be looking at a matter of trying to get a dissolution of your previous marriage (natural contract, non sacramental) "in favor of the Faith" to marry a Catholic.  This would have to go through the Roman Rota, but the paperwork would begin at the local level.
As far as your status as a non-baptized person, you would need to obtain a dispensation of disparity of cult in order to get lawfully married in the Catholic Church (i.e. by the Authority of the Catholic Church).  I would have to recommend that you take your matters to a Parish Church in your area to begin working on them at the local level.  They would hopefully advise and assist you along the way.  I wish you the very best!

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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