Annulments

• What is Marriage?
• Marriage and the possibility Annulments
• Annulment vs. Divorce-a Canon Lawyer explains the differences.
• Is my marriage valid? How to seek and Annulment.

Marriage is a sacred bond that binds a man and woman together for their entire lives here on Earth.  As Jesus says in the Gospel, citing God’s original plan in the book of Genesis–and the two become on flesh.  Jesus adds, what God has put together man must not separate.

Becoming one flesh the bodily happiness of the spouses after marriage becomes interdependent on each other.  And since for humans our bodies are so closely linked to our souls, the spiritual happiness and holiness of a married person also depends on the good of their spouse.  Thus for Catholics divorce is impossible, and separation is a measure of last resort reserved only for those cases in which the physical, emotional, or spiritual health of the individuals is in danger.   It is impossible for a married person to become free to marry again while his or her spouse is alive.   

Divorce and separation are serious matters that endangers the spiritual wellbeing of the Christian. Although separation for some serious reason is not a sin, one should remember that to attempt to re-marry or cohabit is the grave sin of adultery, a against the sixth commandment and a public scandal which normally would impede a catholic from receiving communion. If you find yourself in this situation you should speak with a priest and refrain from receiving communion until you have confessed your sins. However, just because you are unable to receive communion during this time doesn’t mean that Jesus and the Church do not love you or have given up on you.  The Church always wants to call you back into communion challenging you to take the often difficult steps necessary to regularize your relationships.  The Church is here to help you live a good holy and happy life and although we may not always like what the Church suggest we do, we should know and believe that these teachings, though hard, are given for our own good.  These difficult steps may include ending an illicit relationship or abstaining from Holy Communion, or might involve the often emotionally difficult process of seeking an annulment.

The Church recognizes that because marriage is such a serious undertaking there is more to a marriage than just a Church ceremony. There are several essential elements to a valid, or true, marriage, which must be present for a binding marital covenant; elements such as freedom and correct intentions.  The church also realizes that sometimes due to external pressures, mental illness, intentional deceit, or plain old poor instruction, one or more of these elements may be missing in a marriage even when the couple has already lived together as husband and wife for a long time.  

As a Church we always assume that two people who have made the marriage vows to each other publically in a Church are truly married. However, realizing that this vocation is so essential to the holiness of men and women, when it can be demonstrated that an element essential to what Catholics believe marriage fundamentally is, is or was lacking at the time of the marriage, then the Church can publically declare a marriage null, or if the couple desires, renew their marriage vows so as to make the marriage sacramentally binding.  A decree of nullity is not a divorce, but a statement that there never was a true, valid marriage, in the first place.

If you are separated from your spouse and feel that your first marriage was not truly a marriage, even if you can’t say why, consider speaking with a priest about the possibility of pursuing an annulment.