CONVALIDATIONS

What is convalidation? Convalidation is the exchange of vows between a couple whose marriage has not been recognized by the Church. For example, if your Catholic child marries someone "outside the Catholic Church," and the couple then want to have their marriage "blessed by the Church," they come to the Church to exchange their vows and "convalidate the marriage." ow does this concern Christian !nitiation? "any catechumens and candidates preparing to #oin the Catholic Church are married to Catholics. !n some cases these marriages happened outside the Catholic Church and need to be convalidated for both parties to be able to receive the sacraments again. $o all marriages of catechumens and candidates need to be convalidated? %o, definitely not. !n many cases the marriage is already recognized by the Church. &ne example is if the catechumen or candidate is married to a Catholic and if they married according to proper Church procedures. 'his marriage is already recognized by the Church and should not be convalidated even if the couple married before the non(Catholic wanted to #oin the Catholic Church. )nother example is if the catechumen or candidate is married to another non(Catholic in a marriage recognized by the Church. 'hat would include, for example, the first marriage for both parties. 'his marriage should not be convalidated in the Catholic Church. *uppose a couple who don+t need a convalidation want one anyway? 'he best we can offer is to renew their marriage vow before the community. owever, in no way should people get the idea that formerly this marriage "didn+t count." $oes it ma,e a difference if the catechumen is unbaptized? 'he difference is that the marriage of an unbaptized person is not "sacramental marriage." -ou can+t receive any other sacrament until you at least receive baptism. owever the Church may already recognize the marriage as binding even when we do not recognize it as a sacrament. !n that case how does a binding marriage become a sacramental marriage? *imply with baptism. 'he waters of baptism sacramentalize the marriage. When should a convalidation ta,e place? )s soon as possible. 'here are usually one or two obstacles. &ne is that parties who were eligible to marry in the Catholic Church chose not to. !n this case they may celebrate the sacrament of reconciliation and become eligible again for marriage in the Church. 'he other possible obstacle is that one or both parties have married more than once. !n this case former marriages must be annulled before convalidation can ta,e place. !f the annulments are granted, the couple is eligible for convalidation. *hould convalidation be delayed till together? oly Wee, so that the sacraments may be celebrated

%o. "arriage is not a sacrament of initiation. .ven though it becomes an issue for many who wish to #oin the Catholic Church, it should not be confused with initiation. ) marriage needing recognition by the Church is separate from initiation, and its convalidation should not be delayed. 'his will benefit both parties since if one is Catholic, s/he may return to the sacraments without further delay. !f one party is unbaptized, isn+t it easier to wait till after .aster to convalidate the marriage? -es it+s easier, but not necessarily better. Convalidations of a marriage between a Catholic and an unbaptized person re0uire a dispensation from the Chancery. Convalidation between two Catholics does not. *ome pastors li,e to wait till after .aster to save on paperwor,. 1ut even though it re0uires paperwor, that would not be necessary after .aster when both are Catholic, it+s still better to convalidate the marriage as soon as possible. Convalidation pertains to marital status, not to initiation, and to delay is to place an unnecessary burden on the couple. $oes marriage between a Catholic and a baptized non(Catholic re0uire a dispensation too? -es. %ow, technically, this dispensation pertains to liceity and not to validity. 'hat means there+s a law re0uiring you to get the dispensation, but the marriage will still be marriage if you don+t. *ome have chosen, therefore, to dispense with the dispensation. *till, it+s better to obtain one and then convalidate the marriage as soon as possible. )nything else? -es, and this is most important. 1e sure the couple is ready for marriage in the Catholic Church. 'his is a normal pastoral consideration. ) pastoral evaluation should be made about the couple+s understanding of marriage in the Church and their readiness to live that commitment within the context of the Catholic Church community.