What is the convalidation of a marriage in the Catholic Church?
If a Catholic entered into a civil marriage or married outside the canonical form without dispensation from the bishop, that union is not recognized as valid by the Church. Convalidation is the canonical process by which this union is made a valid, sacramental marriage. The couple renews their true matrimonial consent before an authorized priest or deacon and two witnesses in a sacred ceremony, imparting sacramental grace and allowing the Catholic spouse to resume receiving the Sacraments.
Sources
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 1623
- Colossians 3:18-19
Awaiting review by the chaplaincy. Written in our own words; the Church's own texts are the authority.