Anullment QUESTION from Connie on July 12, 2002 I am a non-baptized non-catholic and I was married to a baptized Catholic in a civil ceremony in 1994. We were divorced in 2000. I am now engaged to a non-practicing baptized Catholic. I have a child that has been baptized Catholic and is being raised Catholic: I fully intend to participate in RCIA (???). Do I have to have my first marriage anulled in order to marry my fiancee and have it recognized by the Church?
ANSWER by John-Paul Ignatius, OLSM on July 22, 2002 Dear Miss Connie:
Marriage to a non-baptized person is not valid according to the Church. A non-baptized person is not a Christian. It is possible for a bishop to grant a dispensation for a Catholic to marry a non-batpized person, but in your case that obviously did not happen since the wedding was in a civil ceremony.
As far as I know, you would not need an annulment of that previous marriage since the marriage was not valid to begin with.
BUT.....
.... you need to talk to your pastor about this so that the diocese can determine this for sure.
God Bless.
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