Catholic wedding

Well, you’re supposed to tell the priest.

And generally, yes, it’s called an Lack of Form annulment. It is fairly easy to get - usually notarized from two (maybe one) people who knew you during the marriage stating they knew the marriage had not been done in a church. At the time I was doing RCIA and teaching CCD, our parish considered marriages performed by other denominations to be valid - requiring a longer form of annulment. This was the archdiocese for the military.

View Quoted Comment How long does this process take?
I get married august 6, 2022. I didn’t tell the priest now I’m gonna make an appointment to tell the priest. My understanding was if it wasn’t through church you were ok.

View Quoted Comment Some people here have said that their priest was fine with it - but from my time teaching CCD and going through the adult conversion process, that was not standard. The good news it was very quick - we had ours in two weeks (it was pushed through by our priest because my then husband was deploying and I was due to have a baby soon LOL) but it normally took less than 6 months according to him.
You will find that there can be a difference between parishes, and I can’t really speak to that - the doctrine isn’t supposed to change from parish to parish but people on here said that their parish is different, so who knows?

View Quoted Comment That’s what worries me that it changes…. What if I just don’t say anything? I’m so nervous now.

View Quoted Comment I can’t advise on that - for Catholics, getting married is a holy sacrament. It’s a personal conscience issue.
I do think that you have plenty of time to get the lack of form annulment, though.
My guess is that your priest will want you back in the fold as a practicing catholic rather than make it difficult that you didn’t disclose the prior marriage!It was very little paperwork - two witnesses had to notarize that they had known me in my previous marriage and confirmed it was a civil marriage not done in any church, and the priest sent if off to the diocese. No invasive questions, etc like the longer version. Try not to worry!

View Quoted Comment This was 4 years ago. We we’re friends and I got married to him help him out with insurance I know it sounds so dum. We never slept together or any kind intimacy. We are still friends we went through the divorce this year. He has a gf and a baby now. I realized the mistake I had done and backed out but we were married already he understood so we never went through with the insurance stuff. Now that I met someone wonderful and engaged I’m regretting that mistake. Yesterday we went and spoke to the priest he asked if we had been married before we said no. I didn’t even remember about that. Since nothing ever happened I guess I kind of didn’t consider it. Lastnight I was reading about the marriage requirements since we have to work on it and that’s were I saw that it’s asking for annulment. I couldn’t sleep all night just thinking. Online it says it’s a lengthy process and takes 12 months 😭😭😭😭 that’s why I freaked out.

View Quoted Comment They are probably talking about the long form that does take a while!
Also…explain the whole situation to the priest. (And it’s ok to tell him it was complicated and not consummated, he’s a priest, he’s heard it all!!)
I think it’s going to work out.

View Quoted Comment Thank you very much! I will work on that today. I looked up the lack of form and you’re right it’s mug easier. I checked no to all questions so I do qualify for that one. I will go talk to priest as soon as I can thank you

View Quoted Comment Good luck!

View Quoted Comment Thanks you

Hi ! I've heard that in the US you have to show an annulment before the catholic wedding even if the other wedding was not religious. It does seem curious to me as in Europe we don't have to do that... All the priest needs to know is if the person has been married in catholic church before and divorced - as you can only be divorced administratively not religiously. The sacrament is for life, you can have an annulment in church, but it's a long procedure. But if you were married just in a city hall, it doesn't matter to the priest what you did in your marriage, as it's over and it wasn't in church ! So yeah... fingers crossed for you, it really should be easier, I don't really get it why it is so different than in the same church in here..

I had to give the priest my old marriage certificate and death certificate for my husband. My fiancé had to provide divorce decree from first marriage, and marriage and death certificate from his second wife. Yeah, we’re a bit older 57 & 58 so needed more things.