Questions about the Roman Catholic Annulment process

[disney jones]

what is it?

after the civil/legal aspects are taken care of (i.e., the divorce is final in the eyes of the state), what is the roman catholic church annulment process about as far as dating then remarrying?

does the church consider one still married until their process is completed, even though the state says its final? and what is involved in that annnulment process?

i'm christain and legally separated so i'm in a somewhat similar boat, but this last week was the first i heard that a practicing roman catholic may be divorced in a civil/legal sense, but is "off the market" too, until the church says its OK.

thanks for any information or experiences you want to share.

[Kaye]

Re: Questions about the Roman Catholic Annulment process

I believe the annulment is to tell the church you have dissolved your
marriage in the eyes of god and will that she/he can have another ceremony in the church again.

[Gemini Cricket]

Re: Questions about the Roman Catholic Annulment process

From wiki:

Annulment in the Catholic Church


In the case of the Catholic Church, annulment does not mean the same thing as divorce. Some accuse the Catholic Church of hypocrisy for preaching that all marriages are permanent but providing the means of annulment. The Church reconciles these two seeming opposing ideas by understanding that a "Declaration of Nullity" is not a dissolution of a marriage, but rather to determine whether a marriage was a sacrament (valid) or contrary in some way to Divine Law as understood by the Catholic Church. While some may try to use an annulment to get around the "no divorce" rule, that is not the reason the Church gives for the availability of annulment. According to the Church, an annulment affirms the Scriptural basis of divorce and at the same time affirms that in a true marriage, a man and a woman become one flesh before the eyes of God. The Church's teaching on marriage is that it is a Sacrament and that it is only validly contracted by the two individuals, so questions may arise as to whether that person is able to contract a valid marriage. In the Western tradition, the ministers of the marriage are the two individuals themselves, and the priest is a witness for the Church.

For this reason (or for other reasons that render the marriage null and void) the Church, after an examination of the situation by the competent ecclesiastical tribunal, can declare the nullity of a marriage, i.e., that the marriage never existed.132 In this case the contracting parties are free to marry, provided the natural obligations of a previous union are discharged. -Catechism of the Catholic Church #1629

A reason for annulment is called an diriment impediment to the marriage. Prohibitory impediments make entering a marriage wrong but do not invalidate the marriage, such as being betrothed to another person at the time of the wedding; diriment impediments, such as being brother and sister, or being married to another person at the time of the wedding, prevent such a marriage from being contracted at all. Such unions are called putative marriages.
Diriment impediments include:

• Consanguinity
• Insanity precluding ability to consent
• Not intending, when marrying, to remain faithful to the spouse (simulation of consent)
• One partner had been deceived by the other in order to obtain consent, and if the partner had been aware of the truth, would not have consented to marry
• Abduction of the woman, with the intent to compel her to marry (known as raptus), constitutes an impediment as long as she remains in the kidnapper's power. (In theory, the abduction of a man also constitutes an impediment, but no man has applied for annulment on these grounds.)
• Failure to adhere to requirements of canon law for marriages, such as clandestinity
• the couple killed the spouse of one of them in order to be free to marry
• the couple committed adultery, and one of the couple killed the spouse of one of them, in order to be free to marry

Some impediments can be dispensed, in which the Church exempts a couple, prior to the marriage, to the obligation to conform to the canon law. While some relationships can not have the impediment of consanguity dispensed, a marriage can be sanctioned between cousins. This renders the marriage non-annulable. Again, if an invalid marriage has been contracted, and the diriment impediment can be removed, a convalidation or sanatio in radice can be performed to make the marriage valid.
Marriages that are annulled under the Catholic Church are usually considered as ab initio, meaning that the marriage has been essentially invalid from the beginning. Some Catholics therefore worry that their children will be considered illegitimate if they get an annulment. However, Canon 1137 of the Code of Canon Lawcivil divorce, although before beginning a process in front of the Ecclesiastical Tribunal, it has to be clear that the marriage community cannot be rebuilt.
If someone has all the signs of being married previously, he or she must get an annulment before entering into a marriage in the Catholic Church, even if the individual was not married in the Catholic Church previously. Catholics acknowledge the indissolubility of marriage for any baptized persons who give themselves freely in the bond of marriage and recognizes the marriages of other Christians in most cases. However it may decide not to recognize previous marriages involving Catholics conducted contrary to the Ne Temere requirements.

[EvilQueenRocks]

Re: Questions about the Roman Catholic Annulment process

I actually received what the church called lack of form. My first marriage was performed by a notary so according to my priest the church didn't recognize the marriage. Therefore all I had to do was fill out some paperwork and I was able to remarry in the church.

[disney jones]

Re: Questions about the Roman Catholic Annulment process

I actually received what the church called lack of form. My first marriage was performed by a notary so according to my priest the church didn't recognize the marriage. Therefore all I had to do was fill out some paperwork and I was able to remarry in the church.

how long did the process take from application to it being signed off?

[Experiment626]

Re: Questions about the Roman Catholic Annulment process

That's what happened with Nicole Kidman too, isn't it? Since she married Tom Cruise in the Church of Scientology, the Catholic Church didn't believe that she was actually married so that's why she was able to marry Keith Urban in a Catholic ceremony this year. Right?

[EvilQueenRocks]

Re: Questions about the Roman Catholic Annulment process

That's what happened with Nicole Kidman too, isn't it? Since she married Tom Cruise in the Church of Scientology, the Catholic Church didn't believe that she was actually married so that's why she was able to marry Keith Urban in a Catholic ceremony this year. Right?

Probably. My whole process took about 6 months from the first meeting with the priest to the actual wedding. My church required the forms plus the meetings with the priest and a one day retreat with my fiance(now husband). So, depending on your timeframe and your priest it could be shorter. But refering to your original post are you Catholic? If not if might not be necessary unless you plan on converting.

[disney jones]

Re: Questions about the Roman Catholic Annulment process

Probably. My whole process took about 6 months from the first meeting with the priest to the actual wedding. My church required the forms plus the meetings with the priest and a one day retreat with my fiance(now husband). So, depending on your timeframe and your priest it could be shorter. But refering to your original post are you Catholic? If not if might not be necessary unless you plan on converting.

no i'm not but i'm interested in a catholic girl who's in the annulment process.

me? i have my own problmes - i'm a christian too and take it seriously. and i've been legally separated for 3-4 years-so it has some similarities.

[EvilQueenRocks]

Re: Questions about the Roman Catholic Annulment process

no i'm not but i'm interested in a catholic girl who's in the annulment process.

me? i have my own problmes - i'm a christian too and take it seriously. and i've been legally separated for 3-4 years-so it has some similarities.

The Catholic church seems to be a little more strict on these things than some other branches of Christianity. I am not as familiar with other churches views on divorce and annulment. Does your church have rules or guidelines on remarriage/divorce? But if it has more to do with your own convictions, then do what feels right for you. Your personal relationship with God is more important than some rules.

[J9000]

Re: Questions about the Roman Catholic Annulment process

i was taught an annulment of a marrige in the eyes of the church means (offically) the marrige didnt take place in the first place. its difficult to do, but you cannot remarry within a catholic church without an annulment.

catholic school has its uses sometimes!

[EvilQueenRocks]

Re: Questions about the Roman Catholic Annulment process

i was taught an annulment of a marrige in the eyes of the church means (offically) the marrige didnt take place in the first place. its difficult to do, but you cannot remarry within a catholic church without an annulment.

catholic school has its uses sometimes!

I thought the same thing but my annulment wasn't difficult at all. When I told my priest the circumstances of my first marriage he was like "no problem" since I wasn't married by clergy of any denomination the church itself didn't consider me to have ever been married. I've been married now for 7 years and both of my daughters are also catholic.

Yeah, catholic school comes in handy sometimes. I went for 10 years.

[Disneykat]

Re: Questions about the Roman Catholic Annulment process

what is it?

after the civil/legal aspects are taken care of (i.e., the divorce is final in the eyes of the state), what is the roman catholic church annulment process about as far as dating then remarrying?

does the church consider one still married until their process is completed, even though the state says its final? and what is involved in that annnulment process?

i'm christain and legally separated so i'm in a somewhat similar boat, but this last week was the first i heard that a practicing roman catholic may be divorced in a civil/legal sense, but is "off the market" too, until the church says its OK.

thanks for any information or experiences you want to share.

You are divorced civilly but in the eyes of the Catholic church you are still married. An Annulment is a process by which the church proves that the sacrament of marriage did not take place the day of the wedding. Therefore the marriage is null.

If one remarry's before the annulment process is over (they cannot marry in the church) then they may not recieve communion. No wedding plans may be made until the annulment is granted

[dramaqueen]

Re: Questions about the Roman Catholic Annulment process

The Catholic Church doens't consider you to be married unless you are married by a Catholic priest and the Sacrament of Marriage is performed. My hubby and I eloped in a civil ceremony and had to have the marriage "blessed" in the Catholic church about 6 months later as the church did not consider us married.

As DKat said, you cannot participate in the activities of the church if you remarry without receiving an annulment. I know many couples who do not apply for annulments out of spite just so the other person cannot have their marriage recognized by the Church. (Like my mother :croll: )

Annulment is a long process and can be hard to prove, especially if the marriage was lengthy and children were a product. Its painful for all involved so many avoid it. I doubt my parents would be granted one if they applied for it.

[EvilQueenRocks]

Re: Questions about the Roman Catholic Annulment process

I had some friends when I was younger whose father divorced their mother and then proceeded to get an annulment after so he could marry the woman he had an affair with in the Catholic church. And he got his annulment, which I couldn't believe after 18 years of marriage and 2 children. He basically made his own sons the product of unwed parents by doing this. My case was completely different in the fact that we were only married 1 1/2 years and had no children. Plus the fact we weren't married in a church at all.

[disney jones]

Re: Questions about the Roman Catholic Annulment process

.... But if it has more to do with your own convictions, then do what feels right for you. Your personal relationship with God is more important than some rules.

personal convictions, but based on how i read the Bible - its not how i feel though.

it's what is morally right.

God hates divorce (Malachi)
Jesus said no divorce unless there's adultery (Sermon on the Mount)

Paul gave a little more wiggle room in 2 Corinthians 6 - if a spouse leaves, the believer is under no obligation. maybe that's applicable in my case - she left, but she didn't divorce me. at the last minute she changed it to a Legal Separation. its been that way for 3 years. so maybe i'm under no obligation.

and finally i'm getting to the point where i think i'm hanging my hat on this parable of Jesus:

A man comes up to Jesus and has a tree that hasn't bore fruit in three years and wants to chop it down. Jesus says to give it one more year, and if it hasn't born fruit by then, then its OK to chop it down.

i take my faith seriously and try my best to be committed, but the four year mark is in 3 months; i'm tired of not having a soul mate and partner.

the axe is starting to get sharpened.

[dramaqueen]

Re: Questions about the Roman Catholic Annulment process

The annulment process proves that the marriage was not legitimate when it took place. If your partner took vows knowing they could not keep them, then there is grounds for an annulment. Better to get out now while you still have time to rebuild your life.

[aimster]

Re: Questions about the Roman Catholic Annulment process

When all else fails... just go to Vegas.