Annulments

[critta88]

Hi, I’m new here, does anyone know if you can get an annulment before you get your civil
divorce? I would appreciate anyone’s help on this matter. God Bless.

 

[YADA]

Hi, I’m new here, does anyone know if you can get an annulment before you get your civil
divorce? I would appreciate anyone’s help on this matter. God Bless.

No the Church will not accept a request for an investigtion for nullity while a legal civil marriage exists … you will need to be civilly divorced to apply …

Speak with your parish priest or contact the Diocesan Tribunal …

A book you could read is “The Marriage that Was” …

most diocese have informational packets that will answer your basic questions …

Marriage has two aspects: Secular [civil] and Sacramental [joined by God] …

You can obtain a civil divorce and still remain sacramentally married …

A person may be Sacramentally married but still divorce … perhaps due to safety for spouse and children when someone is physically abusive … you would not be able to re-marry …

The Church cannot annul a true Sacramnetal marriage whether the civil marriage is ended in divorce …

If no Sacrament occurred then a decree of nullity could be awarded but if you were still civilly married what good would that be? …

 

[graceandglory]

A book you could read is “The Marriage that Was” …

amazon.com/Annulment-Wedding-Church-Declare-Marriage/dp/0809138441

Annulment: The Wedding that Was: How the Church can Declare a Marriage Null.

Remember, if it were a valid marriage, the Church can’t declare it null. Thus the title: The Wedding that Was. Anyone can have a party and go through the motions, but just going through the motions does not make a sacrament.

(I asked the same thing as your original question.)

There are also legal annulments. You can check into those in your state.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Hi, I’m new here, does anyone know if you can get an annulment before you get your civil
divorce? I would appreciate anyone’s help on this matter. God Bless.

No, you must first complete the civil process.

 

[FrDavid96]

Hi, I’m new here, does anyone know if you can get an annulment before you get your civil
divorce? I would appreciate anyone’s help on this matter. God Bless.

As Br Rich said, no. You need a state divorce (or an annulment from the court) before the Church will even consider a petition for declaration of nullity.

Remember that marriage itself is a legal institution under the laws of the state, whether it’s a sacrament or not. If the Church were to declare a marriage “null and void” while that marriage is still legal in the eyes of the state, the Church would be violating civil law–since only a court can grant a divorce decree.

 

[YADA]

amazon.com/Annulment-Wedding-Church-Declare-Marriage/dp/0809138441

Annulment: The Wedding that Was: How the Church can Declare a Marriage Null.

Remember, if it were a valid marriage, the Church can’t declare it null. Thus the title: The Wedding that Was. Anyone can have a party and go through the motions, but just going through the motions does not make a sacrament.

(I asked the same thing as your original question.)

There are also legal annulments. You can check into those in your state.

Yes sorry - it was late and I was tired - coud not bring up the title - I just trying to respond as I know what its like to post a question late and then have to wait hours for any response …

And yes, I know a valid marriage cannot be anulled - ever … that was my point … and if one desires to remain in a ‘civil’ marriage to what purpose would the Church anullment be?

And a legal anullments do exist too … I had a friend who ontaind one - the man she ‘married’ was still married to another woman … that marriage was anulled - it too really never existed from the beginning … sound familiar? The poster asked about divorce …

And yes - I am now sorry I responded to this post at the last minute and in a hurry …

 

[critta88]

I want to thank everyone for your help with your answers. I really didn’t want to get to this
point, but I just do not love my husband anymore, not after he committed adultry and I had to have him arrested for domestic battery. I’ve been beaten on before and I can’t stay with
anyone that has hit me. Please keep me in your prayers for this is going to be a long and
hard process, but after much praying, this is what my heart is telling me to do. God Bless
to you all.

 

[Phemie]

I want to thank everyone for your help with your answers. I really didn’t want to get to this
point, but I just do not love my husband anymore, not after he committed adultry and I had to have him arrested for domestic battery. I’ve been beaten on before and I can’t stay with
anyone that has hit me. Please keep me in your prayers for this is going to be a long and
hard process, but after much praying, this is what my heart is telling me to do. God Bless
to you all.

I’m sorry you are hurting like this and offer prayers for your safety. But I think that you should know that you can’t take an annulment for granted.

Just because you obtain a divorce does not mean that you will be granted a decree of nullity. If you petition the Church for one she will examine carefully what was happening at the time you got married and only after that will a decree be either granted or not.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

All the answers seem good. I would add that the Judicial Vicar in this diocese told me that another reason they will not grant a decree of nullity before the divorce is ;final. He said that that would leave the Church open to a civil suit for alienation of affections because the decree could be interpreted as contributing to the divorce.

 

[thistle]

Here in the Philippines there is no divorce law so a couple would require to first get a civil annulment before the Church annulment process would begin.

 

[critta88]

I’m sorry you are hurting like this and offer prayers for your safety. But I think that you should know that you can’t take an annulment for granted.

Just because you obtain a divorce does not mean that you will be granted a decree of nullity. If you petition the Church for one she will examine carefully what was happening at the time you got married and only after that will a decree be either granted or not.

I know I can’t take an annulment for granted, it’s a very serious decision that I’m making here. I have “my group of ladies” that I sit with at church, the are much older than me, but I love them dearly, the are my support group and my praying buddies. They know I have been mulling over this for awhile and they support me. With Gods help, I’ll be ok. Thank you for your prayers.