Hi Tammy,

Thanks for the question.

You said:
I'm considering going thru RCIA classes and becoming Catholic.

• Because I had a 6-month marriage when I was a teenager, will I need to get that marriage annulled before I can be confirmed into the Catholic Church?

I don't know the nuances of your situation, but you'll probably have to provide the pastor of your husband's parish with some information. Fr. Jonathan may be able to give you a more succinct answer.

Seeing you may be preparing to take RCIA classes in the near future, I would encourage you to consider buying a cheap copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church to learn everything we believe as faithful Catholics.

Under each boxed format for the Catechism you want, you will see, below the box, an option to buy a used version, which many times, is not really used but close to new.

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Mike

Hi, Tammy —

There is not enough information in your question to give you a definitive answer, but I will try to lay out the parameters:

1. You say you have been married for twenty years to a Catholic.
   
   
• Was this Marriage in the Catholic Church or with the blessing of the Catholic Church?
  
  If it was, then your first Marriage situation would have been dealt with back then (assuming you told the priest). Therefore, nothing new would have to be done now.
  
  If it was not in the Catholic Church then your Marriage to your husband (assuming you are still together) would have to be validated before you could come into the Church.
  
  
2. Considering your first Marriage—
   
   
• What was the faith of your first husband?
  
  If he was a Catholic or of an Orthodox faith (i.e. Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, etc.) then a process would have to be done but it may be a simple process if you were not married in the Church.
  
  If your first husband was not Catholic or Orthodox then we consider that a valid marriage (albeit between two non-Catholics) and that marriage would have to be declared null prior to you getting your current Marriage validated which would be prior to your coming into the Church.
  
  
3. Was your current husband married prior to you?
   
   
   • If so, then that marriage situation would need to be figured out before he and you can have your marriage validated and before you can come into the Church.
     

You can see there are many factors and not an easy answer to this, so I recommend you and your husband go and meet with a priest and work it all out with him.

Fr. Jonathan