|
|
 |
Aletta C.
wrote:
|
|
Hi, guys —
I have a question. My fiancé is
Catholic and I was born Catholic but never received my
First Holy Communion or Confirmation. We would like to get
married.
I have been married before and it ended due to him being
unfaithful. It was 8 years ago that
I was divorced. I am not in contact with him due to him hurting
me and my children. I have a permanent protection order against
him.
My fiancé has children as well and has never been married.
We would like to get married in a Catholic setting but we are
not sure if we can.
- Can you give me any advice as to what we can do?
- Can we get married in a Catholic Church?
Thanks and God Bless,
Aletta
|
|
{
Can we get married in the Church and is a common law marriage
subject to an annulment? }
|
|
Mike replied:
|
Hi, Aletta —
Thanks for the question.
The first step is to make an appointment with a priest, known for his faithfulness
to the Church, at a nearby Catholic parish.
You would have to petition for an annulment, but based on what you have said, that
shouldn't be a problem at all. The priest can also assist you in receiving the proper sacraments of the
Church.
You said:
My fiancé has children as well and never married.
- At the time, who are the parents of the children?
If he is one of them, he may have to petition for an annulment as well.
I'm not sure but I have asked a priest-friend to comment on this. Either
way, he needs to maintain his obligations to his children.
I suggest both of you pray daily, especially for patience, and know you
are striving to do the right thing.
Hope this helps,
Mike
|
Mike asked Fr. Jonathan:
|
Hi Fr. Jonathan,
Hope all is well.
Is a common law marriage subject to an annulment?
Mike
|
Fr. Jonathan replied:
|
This is in the realm of opinion, but hopefully it is an
informed opinion.
Clearly common law Marriage does not reach the criteria of Consent for
Catholics because Catholics have to follow proper form for Catholics.
Others — non-Catholics, simply have to follow proper form for them.
Thus, it could be that proper form for them is a Common law Marriage and
so we would recognize it.
Take it another way.
- Two Protestants in Texas (I
believe it is still in Texas — it is not still in Massachusetts) co-habitate for enough years to qualify for Common Law Marriage.
- They separate and
one of them wants to marry another person.
- That person will find that
they need a divorce from the person they co-habited with.
The State considers
them married. For us, to simply ignore that if the person now wants to
a marry a Catholic, would make no sense. Thus, it most likely would not
be a difficult declaration of nullity, but I think you would still
have to do it.
Fr. Jonathan
|
|
|
|
