Expert: Fr. Michael - 6/15/2010

Question
Hi Father

Im going to make this rather short..I was baptized as a catholic, although I never remember ever attending a catholic church. At the age of 7 or so I was involved in the Jehovah Witness religions and even was baptized as a member of that sect. I have since left (about 20 years ago or so) and currently seeing someone who is Catholic. This relationship has brought me to start to think about my faith and how I can continue to grow, but its so important to her that I find something and since I was baptized a Catholic, I know there is a study called RCIA (or something like that) for adults trying to convert to catholism..Is baptism as a catholic enough to be one or do I need something else (confirmation) to be considered one IF I am interested in doing so.

Whats the process in my case?

Also, one other important issue, I was married once before and been divorced for years..If I ever want to cross the idea of getting married in the church, do I need to be annulled? this is important to me cause the person Im with. The other woman I was with was a catholic but we never got married in the church and she was not a practicing catholic..

Answer
At this point you have apparently fallen into heresy because you formally joined an heretical sect, the Jehovah's Witnesses.  RCIA is part of yet another sect, that of the New Order Newchurch.  You need to speak to a traditional Catholic priest and, if you are sincerely repentant of your heresy, he will arrange for you to make an Abjuration of Heresy and a Profession of Faith.  Since you were already baptized in the Catholic Church, presumably validly, that is all that is required.

As to marriage, it would be highly inappropriate to comment on the complexities of individual cases here.  I would advise you to put the case to your local traditional priest, who will guide you in the matter.  If you need a referral, see the Official Traditional Catholic Directory at www.traditio.com/nat.htm.

Many people do not understand what an annulment, or (more accurately) declaration of nullity, is.  It has nothing to do with what happened *after* the marriage was entered into.  It relates only to an invalidating defect *at the time of* the marriage that rendered the contact null and void.  After all, the marriage contract (exchange of promises) was publicly entered into "for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part."

Remember the warning before the marriage contract is entered into:  "If anyone knows why these two should not be joined in Holy Matrimony, let him speak now or forever hold his peace"?  That is intended to ferret out any nullifying causes before the marriage is entered into, for example, one of the parties is already married, one of the parties is under the age of consent, or the parties are related to one another in too close a degree by consanguinity or affinity.