Holy Orders

Holy Orders Question from on 06-04-2007:

If a man was married and then divorced for valid reasons (her infidelity) and then later becomes Catholic, and has otherwise been chaste, (before, during and after) can he take Holy Orders and become a Priest? Does the Church recognize that he was once married, though it was not a Catholic marriage? The original marriage too place in a nondenominational evangelical church and was licenced and dissolved by the state.

Answer by David Gregson on 06-18-2007:

The Catholic Church presumes a marriage valid between a man and a woman, unless a major impediment is revealed, e.g., a lack of intent on the part of either bride or groom, or if either has a former spouse still living. A valid marriage is life-long. The Church doesn't recognize divorce, i.e., the dissolution of a valid marriage, on any grounds. And the Western Church doesn't normally ordain married men to the priesthood. But grounds may be sought for an annulment, which is the recognition that a marriage was never valid, due to some major impediment. A man in the situation you describe may want to talk to a priest about the possibility of an annulment

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