Expert: Fr. Michael - 1/6/2007

Question
My fiance and I would like to elope when we go to europe in a month. I do not believe we will have time to get his first marriage annulled, (he was married for 1 year 13 years ago) and finish our catholic premarital classes prior to our trip. It is important to me and my family that we are married catholic. I am catholic, my fiance is not. Can we elope in Europe in a month, then after we finish our premarital classes and annullment procedures, can we remarry in the catholic church months later?
- Lori  

Answer
It sounds as if it is more important to take a trip with a married man than to enter into a truly Catholic marriage.  How do you even know that you can "get annulled" the previous marriage?

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."  Such promises were made already to one spouse.  Why should you expect anything different the second time around?

Remember the warning given 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.

Prudence would dictate that you act with more prudence and reflection; otherwise, you may well end up in an desperate situation.