1
1463Mark
Guest
Hello Beata 3408 and Paul.
I obtained an annulment several years ago. I read your post with great interest. So I figured I would add my 2 cents to the thread/discussion, for you both.
My case was about a marriage in El Salvador. It lasted 3 years only. About a year after the breakup, I moved to the US [my country].
About a decade later, I found I was divorced.
I inquired about an annulment.
The people at the Chancery of the Archdiocese of San Salvador provided a phone # so I could call the inter-diocesan tribunal.
The people at that tribunal instructed me to file my petition in the tribunal of the diocese I lived in. That was Galveston-Houston. [Now it is an archdiocese].
I spent like 6 months preparing and delivering papers for my petition at that tribunal.
After several months, I was told that tribunal refused to look into my case, because they did not have jurisdiction. I went to the tribunal to retrieve my papers.
I contacted the tribunal in El Salvador, again. They listened to me. Then they told me they would accept my case.
Several months later, they had my papers, I paid the appropriate fees, and began to wait.
I called that tribunal, periodically, to check up on my case/petition.
Several years later, I was told that the tribunal ‘of first instance’ had ruled favorably.
Then I had to wait until the tribunal ‘of second instance’ reviewed the ruling.
About 6 months later, or less, I was told the tribunal ‘of second instance’ approved, or concurred, with the findings and ruling of the ‘first instance’ tribunal.
A few months later, I received the documents concerning the ruling, and some other papers.
From my experience [above, in a nutshell], I can comment for you.
Most likely, the domicile of the bride is inside the jurisdiction of one diocese, in Poland.
The domicile of the groom is inside the jurisdiction of a different diocese, in Great Britain.
The wedding plans are for a ceremony to be held in a Catholic church in Poland.
The annulment of the groom’s prior civil marriage is in fact a requirement for the church wedding in a Catholic Church, in Poland or anywhere else.
It is not so much a question of being necessary or not, but rather, let’s call it an administrative requirement.
The reason behind this, is that the Catholic Church, in any of its rites, assumes any marriage to be valid, whether in another denomination, another rite, another religion, and whether the marriage was civil in nature, or ‘common law marriage’ as it is sometimes called here in the US.
This is why the Catholic priest [celebrant] requires the annulment. It is not a matter left to his discretion. The rules come from the bishops, and their conferences [national conferences of Catholic bishops].
It boils down to a certain amount of red tape, or bureaucracy, if you will, that must be complied with.
Because the Catholic tribunals are like mills that grind slowly and finely, they take a while to produce any ruling.
My suggestion to both Beata and Paul, is to put the brakes on the wedding plans, recover any monetary deposits paid to hotels, airlines, dance halls or whatever venues you already made reservations at.
You may want to notify any friends that the wedding is ‘suspended’ but not ‘canceled’, due to some unforeseen administrative details.
Go ahead with the annulment case. Pay the fees and wait.
Keep the Polish priest [the celebrant] informed of the various phases/steps/ups-and-downs of the case. He will keep you both in his prayers.
Paul seems to state that a court is unable to locate the prior spouse. It is understandable.
Perhaps Paul may consider hiring a private investigator [detective], to find the domicile of the prior spouse. There is no need for Paul to contact her. The tribunal in Great Britain will benefit from having her address available. It means the case is more complete.
When the ruling is delivered to Paul, by the tribunal in Great Britain, then both of you will know what to do.
God bless both Beata3408 and Paul
1463Mark
I obtained an annulment several years ago. I read your post with great interest. So I figured I would add my 2 cents to the thread/discussion, for you both.
My case was about a marriage in El Salvador. It lasted 3 years only. About a year after the breakup, I moved to the US [my country].
About a decade later, I found I was divorced.
I inquired about an annulment.
The people at the Chancery of the Archdiocese of San Salvador provided a phone # so I could call the inter-diocesan tribunal.
The people at that tribunal instructed me to file my petition in the tribunal of the diocese I lived in. That was Galveston-Houston. [Now it is an archdiocese].
I spent like 6 months preparing and delivering papers for my petition at that tribunal.
After several months, I was told that tribunal refused to look into my case, because they did not have jurisdiction. I went to the tribunal to retrieve my papers.
I contacted the tribunal in El Salvador, again. They listened to me. Then they told me they would accept my case.
Several months later, they had my papers, I paid the appropriate fees, and began to wait.
I called that tribunal, periodically, to check up on my case/petition.
Several years later, I was told that the tribunal ‘of first instance’ had ruled favorably.
Then I had to wait until the tribunal ‘of second instance’ reviewed the ruling.
About 6 months later, or less, I was told the tribunal ‘of second instance’ approved, or concurred, with the findings and ruling of the ‘first instance’ tribunal.
A few months later, I received the documents concerning the ruling, and some other papers.
From my experience [above, in a nutshell], I can comment for you.
Most likely, the domicile of the bride is inside the jurisdiction of one diocese, in Poland.
The domicile of the groom is inside the jurisdiction of a different diocese, in Great Britain.
The wedding plans are for a ceremony to be held in a Catholic church in Poland.
The annulment of the groom’s prior civil marriage is in fact a requirement for the church wedding in a Catholic Church, in Poland or anywhere else.
It is not so much a question of being necessary or not, but rather, let’s call it an administrative requirement.
The reason behind this, is that the Catholic Church, in any of its rites, assumes any marriage to be valid, whether in another denomination, another rite, another religion, and whether the marriage was civil in nature, or ‘common law marriage’ as it is sometimes called here in the US.
This is why the Catholic priest [celebrant] requires the annulment. It is not a matter left to his discretion. The rules come from the bishops, and their conferences [national conferences of Catholic bishops].
It boils down to a certain amount of red tape, or bureaucracy, if you will, that must be complied with.
Because the Catholic tribunals are like mills that grind slowly and finely, they take a while to produce any ruling.
My suggestion to both Beata and Paul, is to put the brakes on the wedding plans, recover any monetary deposits paid to hotels, airlines, dance halls or whatever venues you already made reservations at.
You may want to notify any friends that the wedding is ‘suspended’ but not ‘canceled’, due to some unforeseen administrative details.
Go ahead with the annulment case. Pay the fees and wait.
Keep the Polish priest [the celebrant] informed of the various phases/steps/ups-and-downs of the case. He will keep you both in his prayers.
Paul seems to state that a court is unable to locate the prior spouse. It is understandable.
Perhaps Paul may consider hiring a private investigator [detective], to find the domicile of the prior spouse. There is no need for Paul to contact her. The tribunal in Great Britain will benefit from having her address available. It means the case is more complete.
When the ruling is delivered to Paul, by the tribunal in Great Britain, then both of you will know what to do.
God bless both Beata3408 and Paul
1463Mark
