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Question re: Recognition of Marriage

boogerbearoriginalboogerbearoriginal member
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in Catholic Weddings
According to people: The Catholic Church doesn't recognize a marriage outside the church.I'm not trying to start an argument but I've seen that said by a lot of posters on the various boards and I truly want to understand the thinking behind it. If that's true, than why would two people who are married before need to have their marriage annulled to get married in the church? Could they take communion in the Catholic church (assuming they are Catholic of course)? Or does it simply mean it isn't recognized as a Catholic marriage?
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Re: Question re: Recognition of Marriage

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    Sydney.O.RutledgeSydney.O.Rutledge
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    edited December 2011
    Anyone with prior marriage needs to be "free to marry in the Catholic Church" before they can marry or have their marriage recognized or convalidated by the Church.To the best of my understanding, until that happens, they should not receive Communion, if they live together as husband and wife.  Priests make exceptions and individuals make their own exceptions--but that is not for me to judge.A Catholic who first married outside the Church (without permission) does not have a valid marriage (according to the Church).A non-Catholic who married anywhere, or a Catholic who married in the Church, is presumed to have a valid marriage until proven otherwise.Everyone with a previous marriage, though, needs to jump through some "hoops" to be deemed free to marry.  It depends on individual circumstances whether the factors are present at all, and how complicated or difficult it will be (e.g., full annulment or filling out some forms) if the factors are met.
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    Calypso1977Calypso1977 member
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    edited December 2011
    teh Church does not recognize marriages where one or both of hte persons are Catholic, and marry outside teh Church.  it does recognize the marriage of, say, two episcopalians or two jews who marry in the episocpalian/jewish church. a catholic person who is married outside of the church should not take communion, becuase in reality, tehy are living in sin becuase the church has not recognized their marriage. 
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    boogerbearoriginalboogerbearoriginal member
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    edited December 2011
    Thanks Calypso, that makes sense. I guess I was taking it to mean they don't recognize any marriages outside the church which didn't make sense to me.
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    ocprincessocprincess
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    edited December 2011
    The Church views as valid the marriages of non-Catholics in a non-Catholic ceremony. This is provided that they were free to marry. For example, were two protestants who were married in their own faith to convert to Catholicism, they wouldn't have to re-marry each other. What isn't okay is when a Catholic marries outside of Church norms.
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