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HEALING AFTER DIVORCEWhat is often referred to as a “marriage annulment” in the Church is actually a declaration by a Church tribunal (a Catholic Church court) that a marriage thought to be valid according to Church law actually fell short of at least one of the essential elements required for a binding union.
The process for obtaining such a declaration is frequently misunderstood.
The annulment process is a time for healing after divorce. If granted by a Church tribunal, an annulment allows divorced persons to remarry in full communion with the Catholic Church.
WHAT IS AN ANNULMENT?
"Annulment" is an unfortunate word that is sometimes used to refer to a Catholic "declaration of nullity." Actually, nothing is made null through the process. Rather, a Church tribunal (a Catholic Church court) declares that a marriage thought to be valid according to Church law actually fell short of at least one of the essential elements required for a binding union.
For a Catholic marriage to be valid, it is required that:- the spouses are free to marry;
- they are capable of giving their consent to marry;
- they freely exchange their consent;
- in consenting to marry, they have the intention to marry for life, to be faithful to one another and be open to having and raising children;
- they intend the good of each other; and
- their consent is given in the presence of two witnesses and before a properly authorized Church minister.
Exceptions to the last requirement must be approved by Church authority.
Credit: St. John the Evangelist Catholic Parish, Loveland, CO. https://www.saintjohns.us/
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