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Marriage Annulments — Questions and Answers

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Marriage Annulments — Questions and Answers MARRIAGE ANNULMENTS — QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 1. What is marriage? ecclesiastical court (a tribunal) that a relationship that appeared to be a marriage was not in fact a Marriage is the matrimonial covenant, established marriage as the Church understands it. It is a by God, by which a man and a woman enter into a finding that there is nothing to “annul.” partnership of the whole of life. Since marriages are presumed to be valid, a finding Since they are created in the image and likeness of of nullity must be based on certain grounds, the God in such a way that “the two become one elements of which must be proved. flesh,” the vocation to marriage is written in their very nature by the hand of their Creator. It is 3. Why does the Catholic Church have marriage ordered by its nature to the good of the spouses tribunals? and the procreation and education of children; therefore, the essential properties of marriage are The Church is the guardian of the sacraments. As unity and indissolubility. the Bride of Christ, she is vigilant to protect the integrity of holy matrimony. She is faithful to the It is through their own personal consent that a man teachings of Jesus Christ, the Bridegroom, and a woman enter the irrevocable matrimonial concerning marriage, as stated in Holy Scripture: covenant, and give and accept each other in order “Have you not read that from the beginning the to establish marriage. Creator ‘made them male and female’ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and The Church’s understanding of marriage as mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall something instituted by God applies to all become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but marriages whatsoever, whether of Catholics or one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, non-Catholics, whether of Christians or no human being must separate.” non-Christians. At the same time, when marriages have broken For the baptized, whether Catholics or other down and even been the subjects of civil divorce, Christians, this matrimonial covenant established people have a right to know whether their by God for the whole human race has been raised marriages were valid. Ecclesiastical courts are by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a sacrament. among the means by which the rights and The unity and indissolubility that are the essential responsibilities of Catholics are articulated and properties of any marriage obtain a special protected. With a tribunal, the Church can judge firmness for Christians by reason of the sacrament. the validity of a marriage according to law and jurisprudence, and determine the freedom of the 2. What is an “annulment”? parties to marry. Though the word “annulment” is used informally, 4. What are the “grounds” in a case of nullity? the proper term is “declaration of nullity.” A true “annulment” annuls something, as when a judge in The grounds for a declaration of nullity are: a civil court annuls a civil marriage. (1) the presence of an invalidating impediment A declaration of nullity is a finding by an before the marriage; (2) an invalidating defect in, or a total lack of, the It is possible to get a dispensation (permission) canonical form of marriage when it is required, or from one’s bishop to marry in some other way (before a minister, a rabbi, etc.), but without this (3) an invalidating defect in the consent of one or dispensation, the marriage is invalid. both of the parties to the marriage. This law applies even if only one of the parties to 5. What are “invalidating impediments” to the marriage is a Catholic. It does not apply to marriage? non-Catholics, who marry in any number of ways, and whose marriages are recognized as valid by An impediment is some fact or condition that the Catholic Church. renders it impossible for a party to contract marriage validly. Some of these impediments are of As with impediments, a defect or lack of the divine law, and some are of ecclesiastical law. canonical form can often be demonstrated with documentary evidence, so these, too, are called Impediments of divine law, which affect all human “documentary cases.” beings, no matter what their religion may be, include: impotence, which is the physical inability 7. What are “invalidating defects in the consent” to perform the marital act; a prior bond of of one or both parties? marriage, when the other spouse still lives; and consanguinity, which is a blood relationship within Assuming that there are no impediments, and that certain degrees. the canonical form of marriage (when it is required) is followed, it is the consent of the parties Impediments of ecclesiastical law, which affect that makes marriage. This consent is an act of the Catholics and those who wish to marry Catholics, will by which a man and a woman mutually give include: lack of minimal age; disparity of cult, and accept each other through an irrevocable which is marriage with an unbaptized person; covenant in order to establish marriage. No earthly sacred orders; vows in a religious order; abduction power can substitute for the consent of the parties. of the woman; crime, which is bringing about the death of a spouse; affinity, which is a relationship For consent to be given validly, especially with through marriage; public propriety, which is a regard to such an important matter, it is required relationship through concubinage; and a that both parties are of sound mind, that they have relationship through adoption. the necessary discretion of judgment, and are do not labor under some psychological incapacity. In some cases it is possible to obtain a dispensation Also, the parties must be at least not ignorant that from an impediment—for example, for a Catholic marriage is a permanent partnership between a to marry a non-baptized person—but it must be man and a woman ordered to the procreation of obtained beforehand. It is not possible, however, to offspring by means of some sexual cooperation. dispense impediments of divine law: impotence, prior bond of marriage, and consanguinity within While a person’s intentions are presumed to certain degrees. conform to the words by which his or her consent is expressed, if a party, while saying the words, in In many cases the existence of an impediment can fact positively excludes marriage itself, or some be demonstrated with documentary evidence, so essential element of marriage—the good of the these are called “documentary cases.” spouses or the procreation and education of children—or some essential property of marriage 6. What is the “canonical form” of marriage? —unity and indissolubility—the marriage is not valid. Finally, consent can be invalidated by certain Catholics are obliged to marry in the presence of kinds of error, by deception, or by force or grave their bishop or pastor, or a properly delegated fear. priest or deacon, and two witnesses. This is the “canonical form” and is required for the validity of When the valid consent of one or both parties is in the marriage. question, the evidence is more difficult to find and to evaluate, and so a “formal process” of citations, testimony, briefs, and judgment is required. Thus, marriage is “annulled” by the Church, as though a these are called “formal cases.” valid marriage can be made invalid by a tribunal, for no valid marriage can become invalid. What 8. What are the effects of a declaration of nullity? happens is that an apparent marriage is judged to be, and is identified as, invalid from the beginning. A marriage is presumed to be valid until it is proved to be otherwise. The burden of proof lies Nevertheless, through human weakness and sin, with the one who alleges its invalidity. a valid marriage can be damaged or destroyed, but that does not mean that it was invalid. The principal effect of a declaration of nullity is that the marriage in question has no juridical 11. What is the process of determining the nullity standing and is not recognized by the Church. of marriage? Generally, the parties are also declared to be free to marry. The process, which is in fact a judicial trial of the marriage itself, begins with the submission of a In the United States, there are no civil effects of a petition (libellus) by one of the parties, who declaration of nullity, though there may be becomes the petitioner, together with supporting implications in other countries; nor is the documents such as baptismal certificates, the legitimacy of children affected. marriage certificate, and the divorce decree. The petitioner also submits a narrative history of the 9. Does a declaration of nullity mean that there relationship, relating the personal backgrounds of was no marriage “in the eyes of God”? the parties, their dating and courtship, the wedding itself, their married life, and the events A tribunal does not speak for God; it is better to say leading to their separation and divorce. that in the judgment of an ecclesiastical court, what appeared to be a marriage was not, in fact, a true The petitioner also submits information on how to marriage established in accordance with God’s contact the other party, who is the respondent in plan for marriage. the case. The tribunal is obliged by the natural requirements of justice as well as canon law to In reaching their findings, the judges of the contact the respondent in order to inform him or tribunal examine the evidence, apply the law of her of the petition, and to offer the opportunity to God and of the Church, think, pray, and—“having participate in the process.
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