Can a Catholic be remarried in a Lutheran church?

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My fiance is Catholic. He was married at age 17, already had a child with the woman he married, and was divorced 7 months later. I have never been married, but I am not baptized and I don't practice a religion, however, I did attend the Lutheran church when I was a child & would like to be married in their church sometime next year. Does it sound like there would be a problem with this?

Also, my fiance lives on the west coast & I am in the midwest. Are there special arrangements that can be made for pre-marital classes?

-- Anna Smith (genmo@yahoo.com), March 20, 2002

Answers

My fiance is Catholic. He was married at age 17, already had a child with the woman he married, and was divorced 7 months later.

[I] would like to be married in their [Lutheran] church sometime next year. Does it sound like there would be a problem with this?

Your fiance may not, as a practicing Catholic:

1) marry again with an annulment; nor 2) marry outside of the church (at least without some special permission from the church).

His original marraige is still considered "in effect" by the Church.

Also, my fiance lives on the west coast & I am in the midwest. Are there special arrangements that can be made for pre-marital classes?

You should ask your Lutheran Church what pre-marital classes they or the Lutheran Church offers.

If your fiance is not interested in remaining a Catholic, he is free to leave the Church (presummably to become a Lutheran). Of course, we could all argue how bad an idea that was, if you'd like! :-)

You also mentioned that you live in different parts of the country. I sincerely hope that you have spent a lot of time getting to know him in-person. My experience is that long distance relationships maintained with a phone, letters, or email don't always give you a complete picture. And everyone I know in this situation believes that they are the exception to the rule.

Things to think about,

Mateo

-- (MateoElFeo@netscape.net), March 20, 2002.


Was the first marriage in the Catholic Church? If he and his first wife were married in a civil ceremony or in a non-Catholic ritual, it is not a valid marriage for him, a Catholic.

-- Christina (introibo2000@yahoo.com), March 21, 2002.

Mateo,

Correct me if I am wrong, but didn't you mean to say

Your fiance may not, as a practicing Catholic:

1) marry again withOUT an annulment;

-- Glenn (glenn@excite.com), March 22, 2002.


Knowing a nun who is also a Canon Lawyer she has said most annulmlents these days are straightforward. Young marriages made in the day of " the little woman " syndrome are being viewed as not valid for to commit/deny a sacrament one most be fully cognative of their act.

A child of 17 has yet to learn the full content of a marriage vow as the maturation process is still forming the adult.

-- Jean Bouchard (jeanb@cwk.imag.net), March 22, 2002.


Glenn wrote:

Correct me if I am wrong, but didn't you mean to say...

Opps! You are correct.

Mateo

-- (MattElFeo@netscape.net), March 23, 2002.



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