Catholicism And Sacramental Annulment

[Mammar]

If a non catholic wants to convert to Catholicism and has been previously civilly married and civilly divorced why do they need an annulment?

[naomi24]

Mammar, you're welcome.

[jourdain2]

I can answer confidently here. We have friends, both raised Catholic. One married a Protestant in a C of E church (she has now become C of E - in fact she's a churchwarden!). The other married a Protestant in a Catholic church (he remains Catholic but worships in a C of E church). Both marriages ended in divorce. When both friends got together and wanted to marry, the first (the lady) was told that there was no problem because she had not married under Catholic rites and so had not been properly married. The husband-to-be, however, faced a definite NO. They ended up marrying in a civil ceremony rather than going through the lengthy process required for him to get an annulment - tricky because he had a daughter!

[naomi24]

//They ended up marrying in a civil ceremony //

In difficult circumstances that's the sensible thing to do. :o)

[EDDIE51]

Does the catholic Church allow a wedding performed in another church to be 'blessed' I am sure I have heard of this happening.

[Jackdaw33]

Setting aside the question of divorce, if one of the partners is non-catholic I think the only requirement is to promise that any children will be raised as catholics.

[wildwood]

Hope you don't mind if I piggy-back on your post, Mammar. This raises another question... Having done my first holy communion as a child, but not having been in a catholic church for over 50 years, would I still be considered a catholic, according to the catholic church?

[Jackdaw33]

To be a 'good' Catholic you have to go to mass regularly. You're still a Catholic though.

[modeller]

I would have thought the bottom line is , the only thing that counts in a court of law , is the law . That is why it doesn't matter where you are married it's not legal until you sign the register.
Nowadays you can get married, as far as I know, anywhere that's approved by the council . It is also the case a legal divorce and its conditions are valid and can be enforced whatever the church says otherwise.

[hc4361]

That's not the point, modeller. If you want to get married in a church or any place of worship you have to abide by their rules in addition to the law.

By law you can get married in:
a church of the Church of England, Church in Wales, Church of Ireland, Presbyterian or Roman Catholic Church in N. Ireland (opposite sex couples only)
a synagogue or any other private place if both partners are Jewish
a Meeting House if one or both partners are either members of the Society of Friends (Quakers) or are associated with the Society by attending meetings
any registered religious building (England and Wales only)
the home of one of the partners if the partner is housebound or detained, for example, in prison
a place where one partner is seriously ill and not expected to recover, for example, in hospital
a licensed naval, military or air force chapel

in addition to a Registry Office or premises approved by the local council

[Khandro]

hc pedantic I know, but it's a Register Office

[mikey4444]

They don't need an annulment....they just want one....huge difference.

[ummmm]

Some church's are stricter than others. When I was arranging my daughters Christening we were asked for our baptism certificates and marriage certificate. The latter didn't exist as we weren't married. So we went to Ireland and had her Christened there, no questions asked.

At a wedding last year, in Ireland, the priest gave a speech on lapsed Catholics and to let us know that we're always welcome back regardless.

It seems the Catholic church in England is much stricter than Ireland.