Anyone have statistics on annulments requested versus annulments granted?

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

With all due respect, sometimes I feel annulments are just a way to give good Catholics a second chance at a good marriage.

There is no respect in this statement.

This statement is full of disrespect and judgments against those applying for annulments, those on the tribunals granting annulments, and the Church who allows for this process.

 

[AnneTeresa]

With all due respect, sometimes I feel annulments are just a way to give good Catholics a second chance at a good marriage.

Well what I posted above is now untrue…

"I’m just saying maybe it’s not always about people trying to get away with things like a second marriage (which I hear people say here so often, though not this particular thread) "

 

[cheese_puff]

There is no respect in this statement.

This statement is full of disrespect and judgments against those applying for annulments, those on the tribunals granting annulments, and the Church who allows for this process.

Amen, from one who went thru the process.

Sometimes when I hear statements made as those, I often wonder if they truly understand the Church’s possition and requirements for the sacrement of marriage.

I usually just chalk it up to poor formation.

 

[JRKH]

I still maintain these are reasons for divorce.

People get divorced for the same reasons.

Just because someone is a jerk or an abuser does not mean the marriage did not exist. It was a bad marriage, sure. And if a man physically abuses his wife, he should spend time in jail.

Just because someone is immature does not mean a marriage did not exist. How many people who get married in their early 20’s are really mature? That comes with time. Plus , you know men take a while to mature.

My dear friend.
I think that perhaps you need to really take some time to prayerfully study up on the principles and teachings relating to the annulment process. It appears that you hare not able to get your head around the reasoning.
That is not an attack…It is indeed a tricky subject and there are many who struggle with it. This includes myself and I have been through the process.

The points you make above, in the eyes of the Church may or may not prove a marriage invalid. It would depend on a number of factors.

The annulment process, as I understand it basically involves determining if the parties involved entered properly into the marriage contract. For that reason it is goo to think about this somewhat in terms of “contract law”.
In contract law there are provisions and principles that make a contract valid and binding. If one or more signers of a contract were unable to legally sign, due to age, mental defect, having falsely represented themselves etc…The Contract is invalid period. Now in some cases, a contract might remain in force for a long time - maybe forever, and no one is cheated, no one harmed in any way so the law does not become involved…But if something WERE to come up, the contract would not be deemed to have been violated, but rather it would be deemed to have never been legally binding - in other words, it never happened…

Annulments are sort of like this. The Church, guided by the Holy Spirit, has established criteria which must be met in order for the marriage contract to be valid under canon law. So long as both parties fit into the criteria, then the contract is valid. If they don’t, they should not enter the marriage.
However - if they don’t and enter the marriage anyway and everything turns out OK…there is no reason for the “law” (the church) to become involved. If however, as a result of one or both parties not fitting the criteria, the couple splits and are civilly divorced, then the Church may issue a decree of nullity recognizing what had already existed at the time of the wedding…

Now - you may not agree with the criteria or how the Church chooses to deal with these matters, but I would suggest considering one more factor.
God is alive in His Church. The Annulment process has been set-up by Christ’s Church…under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Those charged with dealing with these matters have a grave responsibility laid on their shoulders. It is hoped that they discharge their duties prayerfully.
So - If we are faithful Catholics, we do well to trust that the Church has set-up a proper system and that it is functioning correctly.

Now we might bemoan the number of Annulments, but rather than question the process or the reasoning, I feel we are much better off looking at the teaching and training at the front end rather than the back end. In short, better Catechesis and pre-cana.

Peace
James

 

[JRKH]

With all due respect, sometimes I feel annulments are just a way to give good Catholics a second chance at a good marriage.

Well that is one opinion…

All I know is that I submitted truthful statements on my questionnaire.
I assume others did the same.
My Annulment was granted.
So - as far as I can tell, I’m in the clear…

Peace
James

 

[TrueLight]

I usually just chalk it up to poor formation.

This is what is called a “pious put-down”, but I’ll take it.

 

[TrueLight]

My dear friend.
I think that perhaps you need to really take some time to prayerfully study up on the principles and teachings relating to the annulment process. It appears that you hare not able to get your head around the reasoning.
That is not an attack…It is indeed a tricky subject and there are many who struggle with it. This includes myself and I have been through the process.

The points you make above, in the eyes of the Church may or may not prove a marriage invalid. It would depend on a number of factors.

The annulment process, as I understand it basically involves determining if the parties involved entered properly into the marriage contract. For that reason it is goo to think about this somewhat in terms of “contract law”.
In contract law there are provisions and principles that make a contract valid and binding. If one or more signers of a contract were unable to legally sign, due to age, mental defect, having falsely represented themselves etc…The Contract is invalid period. Now in some cases, a contract might remain in force for a long time - maybe forever, and no one is cheated, no one harmed in any way so the law does not become involved…But if something WERE to come up, the contract would not be deemed to have been violated, but rather it would be deemed to have never been legally binding - in other words, it never happened…

Annulments are sort of like this. The Church, guided by the Holy Spirit, has established criteria which must be met in order for the marriage contract to be valid under canon law. So long as both parties fit into the criteria, then the contract is valid. If they don’t, they should not enter the marriage.
However - if they don’t and enter the marriage anyway and everything turns out OK…there is no reason for the “law” (the church) to become involved. If however, as a result of one or both parties not fitting the criteria, the couple splits and are civilly divorced, then the Church may issue a decree of nullity recognizing what had already existed at the time of the wedding…

Now - you may not agree with the criteria or how the Church chooses to deal with these matters, but I would suggest considering one more factor.
God is alive in His Church. The Annulment process has been set-up by Christ’s Church…under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Those charged with dealing with these matters have a grave responsibility laid on their shoulders. It is hoped that they discharge their duties prayerfully.
So - If we are faithful Catholics, we do well to trust that the Church has set-up a proper system and that it is functioning correctly.

Now we might bemoan the number of Annulments, but rather than question the process or the reasoning, I feel we are much better off looking at the teaching and training at the front end rather than the back end. In short, better Catechesis and pre-cana.

Peace
James

My dear brother in Christ,

Thanks so much for taking the time to charitably go into more detail and being honest and admitting you have struggled with it also, even though you went through the process.

I shall indeed prayerfully ponder what you’ve written and ask for the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Thanks.

 

[cheese_puff]

This is what is called a “pious put-down”, but I’ll take it.

I apologise

 

[quiet52]

See here: kofc.org/un/en/resources/cis/cis301.pdf
According to statistics compiled by the Vatican from Catholic
dioceses around the world, diocesan tribunals completed
49,233 cases for nullity of marriage in 2006. Tribunals in
the United States were responsible for more than 27,000 of those
cases; this percentage of cases handled in the United States
(fluctuating between 55 and 70 percent) has remained about the
same over the past 30 years. This is an astronomical increase, for in
1968 only 338 annulments were granted in the United States.

Statistics don’t show a full picture. These statistics do not reflect how many of these cases were sought by non-Catholics (who wanted to join the Church, or to marry a Catholic).

In the past several years, a significant majority of the petitions for nullity (re: defect of consent) in my parish are submitted by non-Catholics. I do not know how universal this is.

The issue isn’t just about Catholics not being adequately prepared for marriage - it is a problem across the board.

 

[Chatter163]

Statistics don’t show a full picture. These statistics do not reflect how many of these cases were sought by non-Catholics (who wanted to join the Church, or to marry a Catholic).

In the past several years, a significant majority of the petitions for nullity (re: defect of consent) in my parish are submitted by non-Catholics. I do not know how universal this is.

The issue isn’t just about Catholics not being adequately prepared for marriage - it is a problem across the board.

Agreed. The number of Catholics marrying non-Catholics is much greater now than it once was, and that influences the picture in ways mentioned above. In 1968, Most Catholics still married Catholics, avoiding so many of the scenarios that are encountered in nullity procedures today.

As for Catholics, the changes in Western society, especially the USA, have impacted negatively the ability of individuals to discern what the Church teaching on a true sacramental marriage is. Yes, we have a more educated population now, but not a more mature one. Think about it: In the WII generation, people came home from the war, met and married someone within just a few months’ time, in their early twenties, with little or no premarital preparation from the parish–just a meeting or two with Father–and stayed married for the rest of their lives. A 21-year old male was considered a man, period. Yet how many of us today would be thrilled if our 21-year old child came home and announced an engagement to someone met only three months ago?

Today, our kids live at home until almost thirty, may have one or more college degrees, past relationships under their belts (which likely means multiple sexual partners, if not cohabitation); they have all sorts of pre-Cana training, NFP classes, pre-marital inventories, Engaged Encounters, etc., and the divorce rate is the same as the general populatiion. But those very same folks have also grown up in a society that, unlike the WII generation, does not see premarital sex–to say nothing of contraception–as sinful. They are presented with media examples that ridicule, or at least ignore, rather than support, Catholic values; they are raised in a society that sees religious values as quaint and stifling of one’s individuality. They have been raised in a consumeristic society that sees everyone and everything as disposable commodities, including one’s own’s body. The emphasis on indiviualism is extreme. The typical parish life is often somewhat muted in its ability to clearly and unequivocally articulate Church teachings and the reasoning behind them, out of fear of “losing” people. Yes, the fiancees are given a good deal of training during the mandatory six-month engagement, but throughout their young lives, they may not have frequently heard about the Church’s teachings from the pulpit or in the confessional–even if they went to Catholic schools–to say nothing of having heard these discussed at length in the home. Their parents (possibly themselves divorced) probably spent a good deal of time emphasizing the need for education and ambition in the workplace within a competitive society, but little about forming a Catholic conscience and making moral decisions in accord with the natural law and Church teaching. These young people have, on the other hand, been subjected to many thousands of hours of commercials, television programs, movies, magazine and billboard ads, and now, the internet–all of which are designed to condition someone to fulfill personal desires and passions, in a way designed to appear healthy and socially upstanding, of course.

Yesterday’s society was generally supportive of Christian values, but the same cannot be said today. The result is that we have young people who appear to be mature and level-headed in every way–but those ways are by wordly standards, not spiritual and religious ones. And this is what tribunals see every day.

 

[Chatter163]

P.S. By way of analogy, think of many (not all, but many) college-educated young people who enter the workplace today, seemingly prepared to function effectively. They have taken many classes and exposed to various schools of thought–possibly even with internships or other work experiences along the way. A company hires one of these greenies, expecting to find an ambitious, well-formed employee. Instead they find the employee to be lacking in basic professional communication skills–especially written communication, but even verbal, to some degree. They see an individual who expects a promotion after a year, simply due to time served, rather than competency. They see someone who lacks not only necessary professional knowledge, but also is ignorant of many aspects of the workplace culture, to say nothing of common, everyday expressions. This young employee has been so saturated in the self-absorbtion of the youth culture that connections with the larger (i.e., adult) culture have been minimal. There have been few personal interactions with older, wiser people who are in a position to help form a work ethic.

This young employee, like the young fiancee, appears at first glance to be ready to take on the responsibiities associated with this new way of life. Both have been given numerous advantages in which to prepare themselves. But alas, in both cases, the formation lacked depth and the appearance of being prepared was only superficial, because the formation focused on secondary aspects, rather than the truly necessary components.

 

[TrueLight]

P.S. By way of analogy, think of many (not all, but many) college-educated young people who enter the workplace today, seemingly prepared to function effectively. They have taken many classes and exposed to various schools of thought–possibly even with internships or other work experiences along the way. A company hires one of these greenies, expecting to find an ambitious, well-formed employee. Instead they find the employee to be lacking in basic professional communication skills–especially written communication, but even verbal, to some degree. They see an individual who expects a promotion after a year, simply due to time served, rather than competency. They see someone who lacks not only necessary professional knowledge, but also is ignorant of many aspects of the workplace culture, to say nothing of common, everyday expressions. This young employee has been so saturated in the self-absorbtion of the youth culture that connections with the larger (i.e., adult) culture have been minimal. There have been few personal interactions with older, wiser people who are in a position to help form a work ethic.

This young employee, like the young fiancee, appears at first glance to be ready to take on the responsibiities associated with this new way of life. Both have been given numerous advantages in which to prepare themselves. But alas, in both cases, the formation lacked depth and the appearance of being prepared was only superficial, because the formation focused on secondary aspects, rather than the truly necessary components.

Great posts - this one and the one before.

So having said that, if a young, somewhat immature couple raised in today’s culture marry and then 5 years later divorce, realizing they were both immature at the time of their marriage can that be a cause for an annulment?

 

[JRKH]

Great posts - this one and the one before.

So having said that, if a young, somewhat immature couple raised in today’s culture marry and then 5 years later divorce, realizing they were both immature at the time of their marriage can that be a cause for an annulment?

It might be but it is no “slam dunk”.

The Annulment process is pretty in depth. The questionnaire I filled out was 45 “essay” questions. My ex-spouse had the same opportunity as did any witness names (they asked for at least three names) that we submitted, and the witnesses had to know us before and after the wedding.

Now if you figure that this could amount to eight or more written testimonies, it can be easily seen that the Tribunal has a lot to sort through. Also it makes it very hard to hide the truth when so many different people are offering testimony.
If the couple was truly too immature, it will likely show up - if not…That will likely show up as well.

Peace
James

 

[FrDavid96]

Great posts - this one and the one before.

So having said that, if a young, somewhat immature couple raised in today’s culture marry and then 5 years later divorce, realizing they were both immature at the time of their marriage can that be a cause for an annulment?

It could potentially be cause.

A lack of understanding of what marriage means (lifelong commitment, total fidelity, etc. etc.) is one reason for a declaration of nullity. The reason is that a couple (or one party) cannot consent to something without understanding what that “something” actually is.

Of course, this would have be be investigated closely.

 

[marci]

I think that modern American Catholics are no different from their Protestant and secular counterparts. I was 24 when I was married, my husband was 25. Were we immature? Yes we were. We understood conceptually what till death do we part meant, but 5 years in and 4 babies later, no money, long work hours, and that “butterfly” feeling long since gone, I wanted out. We were no different than any other couple out there. (excepting those with physical abuse). However, verbal abuse? Yes! Psychological abuse? Absolutely. Do we have a perfect marriage 15 years later? Absolutely not, but we’ve kept it together by the Grace of God.

Marriage is hard. Maybe the hardest thing anyone will ever do in life. My faith is definitely the reason I stayed in my marriage. (my husband is baptist). But it wasn’t the pre-cana or the marriage prep that taught me what marriage really meant, it was the fact that I was raised in a traditional catholic family where divorce was just not an option.

As for my husband, he was raised in a traditional Christian family where divorce just wasn’t an option. I remember in my engagement encounter they said that the greatest determiner ( statistically) of whether a couple stayed together was whether or not their parents were still together. I think that speaks volumes.

 

[cecilia97]

I read so many comments about how awful the high number of annulments granted is. I have a different viewpoint to put out there. What if we saw the large number of annulments as indicative of the fact that people really DO want to be right with God and the Church and they will go through a very painful process to make that happen?

Many people seeking annulments were likely ill prepared for taking the vows that a sacramental marriage is meant to be. This lack of preparation was a result of society and values changing in recent decades, as well as where the church was (in terms of poor catechesis and marriage prep).

Today those things are being addressed by the church with increased emphasis on marriage prep and improved catechism.
But there is still a current fallout for the many people who were ill prepared for marriage and who now want to make things right after a divorce.

I’m just saying maybe it’s not always about people trying to get away with things like a second marriage (which I hear people say here so often, though not this particular thread) but a sign that people really truly do want to follow God in His Church.

If you look at the Church’s long history, this current divorce/ annulment situation is just a blip in the timeline of the church. Every age has its own issues–both in and out of the Church. This is one of them for our time and future generations will not have this period of reparation any longer (I hope). It will take time to correct this situation and deal with today’s fallout, but it is happening with better teaching now.

Amen! My pastor was my advocate for my nullity petition. I trust his judgment and he is a holy priest. He told me that the rise of secularism, the fact that many of today’s youth grew up in broken families, and poor catechesis make it difficult for Catholics to contract a sacramental marriage without very good preparation. My petition and subsequent finding of nullity was what TAUGHT me about marriage and BROUGHT me back home to the fullness of truth in the Church. I thank God for the process.

I’m still single 5 years later, and considering remaining single for the rest of my life (perhaps a Third Order, etc). I didn’t petition so I could jump into another bad marriage. The petition process helped me find out “where I stand” with regard to the Church, the sacraments, and any possible future commitments I might want to make in the future.

 

[JRKH]

Amen! My pastor was my advocate for my nullity petition. I trust his judgment and he is a holy priest. He told me that the rise of secularism, the fact that many of today’s youth grew up in broken families, and poor catechesis make it difficult for Catholics to contract a sacramental marriage without very good preparation. My petition and subsequent finding of nullity was what TAUGHT me about marriage and BROUGHT me back home to the fullness of truth in the Church. I thank God for the process.

I’m still single 5 years later, and considering remaining single for the rest of my life (perhaps a Third Order, etc). I didn’t petition so I could jump into another bad marriage. The petition process helped me find out “where I stand” with regard to the Church, the sacraments, and any possible future commitments I might want to make in the future.

This is something that also needs to be brought out. The annulment process is a wonderful examination of conscience and learning experience in many ways.
Like I said earlier, my part was to answer a 45 essay type questionnaire. It dealt with everything from courtship to early marriage to the break-up…It takes a lot of time, prayer and careful composition to do a thorough and honest job of it…I learned a whole lot about myself in that process.

Peace
James

 

[cecilia97]

Ill prepared in what way?

Can you give some examples?

I just feel that one can always say one was ill prepared.

Maybe a man married his wife mostly because she was gorgeous. Does that mean over time he might not grow to love her, and then fall out of love?

Or maybe a couple got married because she got pregnant. In that case, one can almost say one was forced. Is that a reason for an annulment? How many people have started out that way and ended up with rock-solid marriages?

Do you see what I mean?

There is no list of specific examples one can use. This is exactly why we have the nullity process. Tribunals look at each case on it’s own merits. Each marriage is different and complex. And, yes, in today’s America (look at how sick our society has become - pornography, sex in advertising, rampant secularism in schools, poor examples of marriage in our homes, abortion, etc) one must truly go AGAINST the tide to understand the commitment involved in a sacramental marriage. It’s not about “falling” in and out of love. It’s about lifelong commitment, and our society gives almost NO examples of that these days. Even priests and religious walk away from their vows.

 

[cecilia97]

This is something that also needs to be brought out. The annulment process is a wonderful examination of conscience and learning experience in many ways.
Like I said earlier, my part was to answer a 45 essay type questionnaire. It dealt with everything from courtship to early marriage to the break-up…It takes a lot of time, prayer and careful composition to do a thorough and honest job of it…I learned a whole lot about myself in that process.

Peace
James

Amen, James, and God bless you. I spent maybe 4-6 months writing my petition. It wasn’t something I took lightly, and I know other Catholics who have taken just as much care with the process. Anyone who thinks it’s easy to get an annulment these days just hasn’t been through the process. Talk about shining a light on my own sins!! It was hard, but it truly helped me grow closer to God.

 

[JRKH]

Amen, James, and God bless you. I spent maybe 4-6 months writing my petition. It wasn’t something I took lightly, and I know other Catholics who have taken just as much care with the process. Anyone who thinks it’s easy to get an annulment these days just hasn’t been through the process. Talk about shining a light on my own sins!! It was hard, but it truly helped me grow closer to God.

YES !!!
I don’t think that I took that long, but I remember I typed all of the questions into my MS Word and then looked at them for a while - sort of “nibbling at them” until God gave me a definite sign. As I lay in bed one morning next to my sleeping wife (suffering from early stage ALZ at the time), and pondering how to, or even if I should, answer the questions and apply, Dear Wife suddenly raised the blankest with her left arm, made a perfect sign of the cross with her right arm and put the blanket back down…
After that all doubt left me and I proceeded with confidence to answer the questions. Of course it still involved a lot of “soul searching”

Peace
James