Marrying A Divorced Person

[AccountDeleted]

This is a question for someone who knows church law.

If a Catholic has been married in a civil ceremony to a non Christian (not baptised) who has already been married twice before (in civil ceremonies) - does the church consider this last marriage valid? The Catholic realized their mistake and has since divorced this person in a civil divorce and wants to re-marry a Catholic in the church.

I know that civil marriages are considered "natural marriages" but since the church doesn't recognize divorce, wouldn't the last marriage be non-valid (basically was the Catholic was commiting adultery by marrying the twice divorced non-Catholic?) or is an annulment of the marriage still required before a Church marriage can take place?

It is complicated I know, but it is basically a question about marrying a divorced person and whether that marriage is valid or not.

[Theologian in Training]

[quote name='nunsense' post='1213234' date='Mar 13 2007, 10:03 PM']This is a question for someone who knows church law.

If a Catholic has been married in a civil ceremony to a non Christian (not baptised) who has already been married twice before (in civil ceremonies) - does the church consider this last marriage valid? The Catholic realized their mistake and has since divorced this person in a civil divorce and wants to re-marry a Catholic in the church.

I know that civil marriages are considered "natural marriages" but since the church doesn't recognize divorce, wouldn't the last marriage be non-valid (basically was the Catholic was commiting adultery by marrying the twice divorced non-Catholic?) or is an annulment of the marriage still required before a Church marriage can take place?

It is complicated I know, but it is basically a question about marrying a divorced person and whether that marriage is valid or not.[/quote]

The Catholic would have to get a decree of nullity. That Catholic would do best to speak to his/her local priest so that he can get all the details.

Btw, it would not be valid, in fact, none of those marriages are valid. It is something called "lack of canonical form."

God Bless

Fr. Brian

Edited March 15, 2007 by Theologian in Training