Thomas wrote: |
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Hi, guys —
I just recently got engaged and have been
told that my girlfriend was previously married,
and divorced, however the marriage was not
annulled by the Church.
She denies being married, but I have been hearing it from multiple sources.
I don't believe that she would lie to me
but I am slightly concerned.
- Does the Church have any way of verifying
if a person was married before?
Thanks for your help.
Thomas
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| { Is there any way the Church can verify if a
fiancé or fiancée was previously married, divorced, or had their marriage annulled? } |
Fr.
Nick replied:
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Dear Thomas,
When a couple seeks marriage within
the Catholic Church, the priest,
deacon, or Pastoral Associate who
will work with them, does a preliminary
assessment. (Called a Preliminary
Interrogatory.) This document collects
the basic information on the couple,
as well as ascertains their freedom
to marry.
For Catholics, the Church of Baptism
keeps a sacramental record of their
lives, including First Holy Communion,
Confirmation, Marriage(s) and Holy
Orders.
They will need to have their Church
of Baptism provide this information
to the Church of Marriage.
For a non-Catholic, in addition to
signing an affidavit stating they
have no previous marriage(s), they
may also be asked to provide:
- a notarized
statement, from the Secretary of
State, stating that a search of the
marriage records showed no previous
marriages, or
- a notarized statement
from a parent that they have never
been married.
This is an issue which should be
raised immediately, for if there
is fraud involved, the marriage is
null and void.
Fr. Nick
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Fr. Francis replied:
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Dear Thomas,
You need to have a major heart to
heart with your fiancée. In
order to be married in the Catholic
Church, you will both have to answer
a preliminary questionnaire specifically
asking about any previous marriage
or attempted marriage — under
oath.
Then a recent copy (not an old one
from Confirmation) of each of your
baptismal records is needed, with
any updates on the back concerning
any possible marriages.
Finally, if any of these "interested
parties" see the "Banns of marriage" in the parish bulletin
or hear them announced, they may
go to the priest and inform him that
there has indeed been a previous
marriage. This is precisely the reason
for the banns.
However Thomas, what I am about to
say is extremely serious. It would
seem impossible that several or many
people are out to "get" your
fiancée. I always stay very
attuned in situations like this,
for "where there is smoke, there
is fire". She needs to be totally
open and honest with you, and stop "pretending" or "denying",
if indeed she has been married before in
any form.
Marriage is built on trust and this
is already rocking the proverbial
boat.
Father Francis
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Msgr.
Strahan replied:
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Hi, Mike —
If you can find out where she lived
at the time she was possibly married, and
then check with City Hall for that (Town or City):
- to see if there is a marriage record,
or
- to see if they plan to go ahead
with the marriage in spite of the
obligations of a previous marriage.
The
priest will then ask her if she has
ever been married before, either
inside the Church or outside of it.
If she was married in the Church,
that fact will be noted on her baptismal
record.
Find out where she was baptized to
verify if such is the case.
Msgr. Strahan
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