Hi

I am a Catholic and at a young age I was married in the Catholic church. Almost 3 years later we divorced. I began to see an unpleasant side to my ex-spouse.

A few years later I met my husband and we married in the Greek Orthodox church. At the time I did not apply for annulment. The Greek priest said that the Greek tradition did not recognize my Catholic marriage and performed the ceremony. I did not ask a Catholic parish priest to participate in the ceremony and I did not know that I needed permission too. I had just moved to this country and I was not part of any parish.

A year later, I applied for an annulment. A few weeks ago my case was approved and my first marriage is now anulled. Now, my question is how does the Catholic church view my marriage?

Thanks Maria

-- Maria (spore_sling@yahoo.com), April 18, 2003

Answers

Response to Remarried then seeked annulmant

your first marraige is now no longer valid, however, the catholic church does not recognize your current marraige either. the simple thing is this... either get remarried in a Catholic church, or have a priest review your weddings procedures and verify that it was a valid wedding. the next step is to go to confession for two things, before your wedding was annuled you were sleeping with another man, although you were legally divorced this is still adultery, and since your annulment you have not been married (although the greek orthodox church says you are) and have therefore been having sex out of wedlock. confess these things and get your wedding affirmed in the church and youre good to go.

-- paul (dontSendMeMail@notAnEmail.com), April 18, 2003.

Response to Remarried then seeked annulmant

Jmj

Good day, Maria and "little paul."

Paul, there is something in your message that does not make sense. I believe that you have made a mistake.

You told Maria: "your first marraige is now no longer valid, however, the catholic church does not recognize your current marraige either."

But Maria had said: "I am a Catholic and at a young age I was married in the Catholic church. Almost 3 years later we divorced."

Therefore you were not right to tell her that her "first marriage is now no longer valid." It is indeed presumed to be valid even today. That is precisely why she was not free to attempt to marry the Orthodox man (who is not actually her husband now). Maria, please do visit your nearest Catholic priest and discuss your situation with him. He will be able to help you, at the very least with reliable advice.

God bless you.
John

-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@Hotmail.com), April 22, 2003.

This is not an answer. I was married in the Catholic Church, my wife died. I got married 6 years later to a divorced catholic women. I know my wife's marriage needs to be annulled ( if that is the proper term). That means we are committing adultry. What do you suggest we do other than the obvious? Chris

-- Chris Rosas (forchrisrosas@aol.com), June 24, 2003.

What is the obvious one?

-- Karl (Parkerkajwen@hotmail.com), June 25, 2003.