Question: Are the annulment proceedings like the divorce proceedings, where have to be in the same room with my ex-spouse?
Answer: No. The parties are never put together in the same place the same time during the annulment proceedings. In fact most tribunals collect testimonies through mail or on the telephone, so you never go to the tribunal. A few tribunals around the country have face-to-face interviews with the parties. But again, your ex-spouse will not be present at the same day/time if you have an interview at the tribunal.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
I wasn't a Catholic when I married my first husband. Why do I need an annulment?
Question:
I am a baptized Lutheran. I had a justice of the peace marriage to my high school sweetheart when I was 17. It was a terrible marriage. We divorced by the time I was 19. I have been married to my present Catholic husband for the past 15 years. We were married outside of the Catholic Church because of my previous wedding and divorce.
I now want to become a Catholic.
Since I am not Catholic yet, and I was not a Catholic when I got married at 17, do I need an annulment?
Answer:
Yes. The Catholic Church recognizes marriages of non-Catholics as valid in Catholic church law. So even though you are divorced from your first husband, the Catholic Church still considers you husband and wife.
That is why you would need an annulment of your first marriage. If the annulment is granted, you would be free to marry the Catholic man you are now civilly married to in the Catholic Church. Once that happens you are then able to become a member of the Church.
Every divorced person has the right to petition for an annulment. I would encourage you to do so.
I am a baptized Lutheran. I had a justice of the peace marriage to my high school sweetheart when I was 17. It was a terrible marriage. We divorced by the time I was 19. I have been married to my present Catholic husband for the past 15 years. We were married outside of the Catholic Church because of my previous wedding and divorce.
I now want to become a Catholic.
Since I am not Catholic yet, and I was not a Catholic when I got married at 17, do I need an annulment?
Answer:
Yes. The Catholic Church recognizes marriages of non-Catholics as valid in Catholic church law. So even though you are divorced from your first husband, the Catholic Church still considers you husband and wife.
That is why you would need an annulment of your first marriage. If the annulment is granted, you would be free to marry the Catholic man you are now civilly married to in the Catholic Church. Once that happens you are then able to become a member of the Church.
Every divorced person has the right to petition for an annulment. I would encourage you to do so.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Question: Can I apply for an annulment before my divorce is final?
Answer:
In the US a person cannot apply for an annulment until their civil divorce is final. There is a twofold reason for this. The first is that the Church wants to be sure there is no hope of reconciliation for the couple. A completed civil divorce makes an argument for that assurance. The second would be that the Church would not want to insert itself during divorce proceedings due to a possible conflict of interest, i.e. alienation of affections.
In the US a person cannot apply for an annulment until their civil divorce is final. There is a twofold reason for this. The first is that the Church wants to be sure there is no hope of reconciliation for the couple. A completed civil divorce makes an argument for that assurance. The second would be that the Church would not want to insert itself during divorce proceedings due to a possible conflict of interest, i.e. alienation of affections.
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