You are here:
- Home
- Religion/Spirituality
- Christianity - Catholicism
- Catholics
- Catholic marriage requirements
Catholics/Catholic marriage requirements
Advertisement
Question
I am a baptized catholic and had done my first communion, but never did the sacrament of confirmation. I was previously married through the Protestant faith and now divorced. My fiance is also a batized Catholic and had done both her first communion and confirmation. She was previously married (now divorced) through the Greek Orthodox Church, but never converted to this religion. We would like to get married through our faith (Catholic) and would like to know what are the requirements that need to be fulfilled prior to the ceremony. Thank you for your help.
Hi, Luis:
Thanks for the question.
I don't know what you mean precisely by getting married "through the Protestant faith," but I will have to assume that you just "did your own thing" and got married outside the Authority of the Catholic Church without a dispensation. That marriage would be, presumably (unless you had a lawful dispensation), an invalid, unlawful, and non-sacramental marriage; so you would be free to marry lawfully in the Catholic Church to somebody who is lawfully free to marry, as well, in the Catholic Church.
Your fiance married in the Greek Orthodox Church. Presuming that the man she married was lawfully free to marry (no previous valid marriage, while spouse still living); then her marriage would be presumed to be valid but illicit; and so she would be looking at a Formal Anullment Case to determine whether the what seemed to be a valid Sacramental Marriage might have in fact had a defect that made it invalid.
Run all your facts and information past your Catholic Priest whom you will approach to see about getting married lawfully and validly in the Catholic Church. If you are looking at an anullment case for fiance, then it could take some time; but, you will never know if you don't check.
I wish you the very best!
Fr. Timothy Johnson
Related Articles
- Married Catholic Priests: Why are Some Catholic Priests Married? Will Celibacy Remain a Requirement?
- Requirements for Marriage in the Catholic Church - Catholic Marriage Requirements
- Egypt - Religious Minorities
- Religion in Lebanon - Greek Catholics
- Questions About Catholicism - Questions About Catholicism From Readers
Answers by Expert:
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.
©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.