Annulments Versus Divorces!?

[hierochloe]

I received an anullment. Admittedly, it was very easy. It didn't feel easy at the time due to all of the other trauma surrounding the situation, but it was simple. There were numerous impediments so it went through without a hitch. Thanks be to God that part of my life is passed.

[Aloysius]

[url="http://www.saveoursacrament.org/"]These people[/url] think it is too easy to get an annulment, they should know they're fighting ones their sacramentally married spouses are trying to get.

Why is it that so often the parts of the Code of Canon law pertaining to annulments are only used at the point of annulment??... perhaps they should be reviewed by the couple before marriage in the first place.

I think I might want to draw up some sort of.. Catholic pre-nuptual agreement, in which both couples sign off that all the conditions are met for this valid marriage under the CIC and as such each individual will be safe from the other someday attempting to misuse annulments as a form of catholic-divorce.

anyway, while I'm sure many are legitimate, I cannot help but have doubts as to the validity of some. I talked to my parents about my dad's annulment, and he said a canon lawyer came to our parish and helped them through it... so I asked him what exactly he helped with... turns out the canon lawyer simply told my parents what to say and what not to say in order to make sure the outcome came out right.

so I asked a few more questions of my parents to try to get to the truth of the matter, and it turns out in my opinion he did have a just cause for annulment, but what disturbs me is that the canon lawyer helping them didn't attempt to find out from them whether they had just cause, but told them how to rephrase and manipulate conditions so that the annulment would go through. :frustrated:

I have a question: can an annulment itself be annulled if it were found that the cause for annulment was either fraudulent or misrepresented? annulment decisions are not necessarily infallible are they?

[color=red]disclaimer: I just read through more of that "Save Our Sacrament" site, and they seem to be very wrong in some of their goals and beliefs. Nevertheless, it is a problem if valid marriages are annulled. At first I was taken in thinking they were defending the tradition of indisolvable marriages, but apparently they support divorce as well which is absolutely nutty.[/color]

[CatholicCid]

[quote name='Aloysius' post='716886' date='Sep 9 2005, 10:47 AM']I have a question: can an annulment itself be annulled if it were found that the cause for annulment was either fraudulent or misrepresented? annulment decisions are not necessarily infallible are they?

[color="red"]disclaimer: I just read through more of that "Save Our Sacrament" site, and they seem to be very wrong in some of their goals and beliefs. Nevertheless, it is a problem if valid marriages are annulled. At first I was taken in thinking they were defending the tradition of indisolvable marriages, but apparently they support divorce as well which is absolutely nutty.[/color][/quote]

A valid marriage can not be 'annulled'. Even if the facts are skewed and deciet is used, a valid marriage cannot be annulled.

An 'annulment' decision can be taken from the local tribunal all the way to Rome. I believe there was a case recently were a Kennedy was trying to obtain an annulment so he could marry his 'legally married' "wife". The tribunal granted it, but his wife appealled the decision to Rome, where the tribunal was overturned and the marriage was declared to be valid.
[url="http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20070622/ai_n19327401"]http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn41...22/ai_n19327401[/url]

I cannot see any reason why a tribunal's decision would not be fallible, especially considering how they are majoritly local tribunals handling such processes.

If someone were to lie to a tribunal to obtain a false decree of nullity, the marriage would still remain intact and the person would be sinning for using deciet, not to mention what other sins would follow (adultery comes to mind). No annulment would be obtained, however the "decree of nullity" could be overturned as no such decree actually exists.

If a marriage was attempted afterwards through the Church, the lack of proper matter (two unmarried persons) would make any sacrament invalid.

Just my 2 cents

Edited October 1, 2007 by CatholicCid

[kateri05]

[quote]I think I might want to draw up some sort of.. Catholic pre-nuptual agreement, in which both couples sign off that all the conditions are met for this valid marriage under the CIC and as such each individual will be safe from the other someday attempting to misuse annulments as a form of catholic-divorce.[/quote]

they do. its called "form 1" at least, it was in my diocese. you go through this long questionaire with your priest in order to ensure that all the conditions are met. then you have to sign, under penalty of mortal sin.

however, the potential to abuse is if a) you lie and 2) the priest doesn't really care and thus doesn't really try. luckily, we're 1) not liars and b) our priest rocked

[CatherineM]

When I did tribunal work, I never told anyone what to say to get the outcome they wanted. I find that horrific.