Hi, guys —

• I was curious about what criteria has to be met for a marriage to be annulled in the Church?
  

I was married and divorced many years ago prior to becoming a member of the Church. I was curious what standards are set by someone either marrying in, or outside of, the Church. I was not married in the Church nor was I, and my then spouse, Catholic.

• That said, does not being married in the Catholic Church have anything to do with an annulment?
  

I did look up a few things on-line and found:

1. both the man and woman must be baptized
2. each person must enter into the marriage of their own free will, and
3. each person must not impede natural or ecclesiastical law.

• Does this mean that if certain things aren't met, the marriage never happened?

I don't mean to sound like I'm trying to doing God's will or am against Church doctrine. I just want to clarify what I've read and determine if its necessary to do something that could potentially turn ugly.

Thank you so much,

Sherwood Daniel