Yes, generally, a person who has been married before, even outside the Catholic Church, will need to obtain an annulment (a declaration of nullity) from the Catholic Church before they can validly marry in the Church. This is true even if they are converting to Catholicism.
Here's a breakdown of why:
* Catholic Church View on Marriage: The Catholic Church views marriage as a lifelong, exclusive, and binding covenant between a man and a woman. Unless proven otherwise, the Church presumes that any marriage, even one not performed in the Church, is valid until proven otherwise.
* Prior Bond of Marriage: The previous marriage is considered a bond that must be addressed before the person can enter into a valid marriage in the eyes of the Catholic Church. Conversion to Catholicism doesn't automatically dissolve a prior marital bond.
* Declaration of Nullity (Annulment): A declaration of nullity, often called an annulment, is a judgment by a Catholic Church tribunal that a marriage, though it appeared to be valid, was in fact invalid from the beginning due to some impediment or defect in consent, form, or other essential element. It's not a "Catholic divorce." It's a statement that a valid marriage, as defined by the Church, never actually existed.
* Process: The person seeking to marry in the Catholic Church must petition the diocesan tribunal for a declaration of nullity. This involves providing information about the previous marriage, testimony from the parties involved (if possible), and any other relevant documentation. The tribunal investigates the marriage and determines whether grounds exist to declare it null.
* Conversion Doesn't Waive the Requirement: Conversion to Catholicism doesn't bypass the need for an annulment. The person still had a prior marriage that needs to be examined by the Church to determine its validity.
Exceptions and Nuances:
* Pauline Privilege/Petrine Privilege: There are some specific circumstances, known as the Pauline Privilege and the Petrine Privilege, where the Church might be able to dissolve a non-sacramental marriage (a marriage between two non-baptized persons) to allow one or both parties to marry in the Church. These are complex situations and require specific conditions to be met.
* Lack of Form: Sometimes, if a marriage outside the Church lacked the proper canonical form (the required procedures and witnesses for a Catholic marriage), it might be considered invalid from the start. However, this still needs to be investigated by a tribunal.
In Summary:
Even with conversion, the Catholic Church requires a declaration of nullity (annulment) for a prior marriage before a person can validly marry in the Church. Contacting a priest or someone at the diocesan tribunal for guidance is the best path to take. They can explain the process and determine if there are any specific circumstances that might apply.