Second Weddings

Unusual Re-marriage question

When I was 19 I got married within the court in NYC. It was stupid, I was young, it  lasted 4 months but unfortunately we couldn't annul it as per his lawyer. Unfortunately I didn't  have the funds to handle the lawyer, he did. So all these years later I'm getting the papers for the divorce, finally. After all this time I've met someone who I'd like to someday marry. However, he'd like to get married in a catholic church. Is this possible?

Re: Unusual Re-marriage question

  • edited December 2011

    I take it you are not Catholic.  Every diocese is just a little bit different, so the best way to figure this out is to meet with his parish priest.  In general, a marriage like yours would have to be annulled in the Catholic church in order to proceed with a Catholic marriage ceremony.  The good news is that a marriage like yours would probably only need the "short form" annulment, and it takes much less time. 

    Good luck!  ~Donna

  • HappyMOH77HappyMOH77 member
    10 Comments
    edited December 2011
    If you were not married by the catholic church you should not need the previous marriage annuled by the church.  Speak to the preist at your significant others parish when you feel the time is approriate they will walk you through it.
  • KamakananiKamakanani member
    Fourth Anniversary 100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    As a divorced Catholic, I'll throw in my two cents - check with the priest.  In my case, my previous marriage was not one that was recognized by the Church, and so, when our pastor gets back from his family visit, he's going to help me file a "lack of form" annulment.  That pretty much just means that the previous marriage wasn't valid due to a lack of canonical form (or "Church recognition").  On average, a "lack of form" annulment generally takes about 2-3 weeks to go through tribunals, versus the average 1-2 yrs of a full annulment. (my mom did a full annulment, which took about a year, and it moved "pretty fast")
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  • edited December 2011
    I'm curious - how much does and annulment cost?
  • edited December 2011
    Depends on the diocese- hundreds of dollars at least, but there are mechanisms for those that cannot pay  ~Donna
  • edited December 2011
    My annulment took 8 months and cost $300 (ironically the same price for this wedding).  I was permitted to make monthly payments.  It does depend on the diocese.  My FI was not married in the Catholic Church, but since he is a baptized Christian, he would have had to go through an annulment process, if his 2 marriages had ended in divorce and not death.  He had to provide the priest with a copy of his baptism certiifcate and the last death certificate.
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  • 2dBride2dBride member
    2500 Comments Fourth Anniversary 5 Love Its Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    You would need an annulment if either of you has ever previously been married, regardless of whether it was in the Catholic church.  Typically, the annulment procedure is simplified if a) you were Catholic at the time of the first wedding, AND b) the wedding was not in, or convalidated by, the Catholic church.  However, this simplified process is unavailable if you were not Catholic at the time of the first wedding.  For example, a Protestant or Jew who was originally married in a civil ceremony would still need to go through the full annulment process.  However, policies may be a little different in different diocese, so it is always wise to consult your priest.
  • Lisa50Lisa50 member
    2500 Comments 5 Love Its Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    Ditto ... call your priest. 
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