Marriage Convalidation

Marriage Convalidation – sometimes referred to as “having one’s marriage blessed by the Church”

Catholics are bound to observe a certain form of marriage ritual in order that their marriage be valid. Canon law requires that Catholics enter into marriage by free mutual consent that is witnessed in a church by an authorized bishop, priest, or deacon and at least two other witnesses. Marriages in which one or both parties are Catholic and which are not witnessed by an authorized bishop, priest, or deacon, or which do not receive proper permission to take place in another forum, are considered invalid in the eyes of the Church.

It may be that the Catholic who entered into marriage outside the Church did not realize that these requirements existed, but also, it may be because one or both of the spouses was not free to marry in the Catholic Church because of a previous marriage or because they were awaiting an annulment. Also, the Catholic partner may not have been active in the Church and did not consider having a Catholic wedding.

Convalidation can be performed in instances in which a couple who was civilly married acknowledges that they are not in a valid marriage and seeks to regularize their union within the Church. A convalidation is not simply a renewal of the previous intention to marry but the creation of a valid marriage in the sight of the Christian community.

If you or your spouse have had a previous marriage bond, first seek information on the annulment process, or contact the parish to meet with a priest.

If you or your spouse have not been married previously and you wish to begin the Convalidation process, begin by obtaining:

A copy of your civil marriage license
A newly issued baptismal certificate, or proof of baptism, for the groom
A newly issued baptismal certificate, or proof of baptism, for the bride

Once paperwork is in hand, contact the parish by filling out the Convalidation Form below:

Marriage Convalidation Questionnaire

Form to be used for the blessing of an existing union.

Bride's Name*
First Middle Last
Are you registered at St. Theresa?*
Parish ID #*
Or are your parents registered here?*
Parish ID #*
Bride's Address*
Street Address City State ZIP Code
Home Phone*
Cell Phone
Work Phone
Bride's Email Address*
Bride's Date of Birth*
MM slash DD slash YYYY
Current Age*
Bride's Religion*
Baptized?*
Confirmed?*
Groom's Name*
First Middle Last
Are you registered at St. Theresa?*
Parish ID #*
Or are your parents registered here?*
Parish ID #*
Groom's Address*
Street Address City State ZIP Code
Home Phone*
Cell Phone
Work Phone
Groom's Email Address*
Groom's Date of Birth*
MM slash DD slash YYYY
Current Age*
Groom's Religion*
Baptized?*
Confirmed?*
Upload a selfie of the bride and groom!
Max. file size: 50 MB.
For office use only - St. Theresa Parish will not distribute, publish or post this image.
Is this the first marriage for the Bride?*
Groom?*
(If the answer is “no” for either the Bride or Groom, please answer the questions below)
Previous Wedding Ceremony Information
Was the original wedding ceremony a civil ceremony or a church ceremony?*
Date of original wedding ceremony*
MM slash DD slash YYYY
Location of original wedding ceremony (name of church or courthouse, city, state)*
Previous Marriages
Where did the marriage take place (location, city, state)?*
Did a Catholic priest or deacon witness the wedding?*
How did the marriage end?*
Was an annulment received?*
In which diocese?*
Remarks, Special Requests, etc.
Acknowledgement
We acknowledge that our preparation for marriage convalidation will be at the discretion of the pastor or his delegated representative. We understand that this convalidation is a new act of marrying within the Catholic Church and not merely the continuation of the existing attempted marriage. The form of the marriage convalidation will be that of a simple ceremony.
Bride's Initials*
Full Name*
Date*
MM slash DD slash YYYY
Groom's Initials*
Full Name*
Date*
MM slash DD slash YYYY
Phone
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Marriage Convalidation

Marriage Convalidation – sometimes referred to as “having one’s marriage blessed by the Church”

Marriage Convalidation Questionnaire

Previous Wedding Ceremony Information

Previous Marriages

Acknowledgement