Can an annulment be invalid?

[Marysgirl]

In a diocese where it was easy to get an annulment, could an annulment be invalid? I have a close friend and she got an annulment years ago before she had counseling to sort things out. The diocese where she lived at the time was known for knowing how to write it up in such a way as to get it approved. From my discussions with her through the years I don’t think the annulment should have been approved. There still seems to be a connection between them. Is it possible that the annulment shouldn’t have been granted? You can write anything you want on paper but you can’t fool God.

 

[Pug]

MarysGirl,

No one has answered you yet, so I’ll post and bump this to the top for others to see. I’m sure one of the other posters will have an official style answer. Meanwhile, if I had gotten an annulment and now I truly believed that the tribunal had been mistaken in some point, so that I believed myself to still be validly married, then I would not be free to remarry. An annulment cannot undo a valid marriage, so if I know it to be valid, I should act accordingly.

Without a specific reason, however, I wouldn’t worry about a decision by the tribunal. Perhaps your friend should talk over any concerns she has with a priest, so that her mind can be at rest on this issue.

 

[Bobby_Jim]

Here’s my take on it… an annulment is kind of like a legal proceeding. We hope that, by and large, they come to the right judgment, and we trust that the Holy Spirit is working through the members of the tribunal. And I think their judgment is legally binding.

Kind of like in a criminal trial… O.J. was found “not guilty” by a jury, and that’s official and binding. Even if a lot of reasonable people disagree and think he was guilty, he can’t be re-tried for the same crime. In point of fact, he was either innocent or guilty, and only he and God know for sure. But according to the law, he is not guilty, and is thus free from any of the possible legal consequences of the alleged crime.

Back to annulments… I suppose in point of fact the marriage was either valid, or not valid, and that may or may not correspond with the judgment of the tribunal. Only God knows for sure. But the best we can do is trust the tribunal, and not try to second-guess them. Just as we don’t try to second-guess when people are married - you would never say “yeah, they got married in a Catholic church, but I bet it wasn’t really valid… it’s just a pretend marriage and they’re really living in sin”. You operate under the presumption that the sacrament was valid, until legally found otherwise by the proper authorities, i.e. the annulment tribunal.

Does it seem like there are an awful lot of annulments being granted? Yes. So does this mean some of them are being granted wrongly? Perhaps. But I think there are also a lot of invalid marriages happening these days - so many people are just not open to God’s grace for one reason or another, and are just not properly disposed to enter into the sacrament. And it’s not necessarily something that’s going to be visible on the level of still having a connection or an attraction or chemistry with someone.

 

[itsjustdave1988]

No tribunal is infallible. Thus, a tribunal’s decree can be unjust or incorrect, objectively speaking.

Recall that St. Joan of Arc was unjustly judged a heretic by a tribunal. She suffered and died because of this unjust judgment. At times we must all suffer injustices. It is what saints are called to do.

 

[mariainman]

My husband and I were married outside the Church. Seventeen years later my husband goes to see a priest and is told he does not need an annulment because he is not Catholic. This priest then Blesses our marriage. We have five children. I often wondered why it was so easy this time. Previous times we were told we would need a lengthy annulment process because he was married in a protestant church. What I think I am trying to say is that The Holy Spirit works in mysterious ways. I don’t know how I got my marriage Blessed but it was. You don’t know if your friends annulment should have happened but it did. She may always have feelings for her ex but it doesn’t mean they should be married.If times proves they made a mistake I suppose she could marry him again. Couldn’t she?

 

[AlanFromWichita]

Bobby Jim, I like your post a lot, and I agree with it.

Marysgirl, you didn’t mention whether your friend also shares your suspicion. You also didn’t mention if she was remarried.

If she hasn’t said anything about doubting the nullity of her marriage, then I caution you that your saying anything to cause her to doubt could be a very grave matter indeed, as it could weaken her faith in the Church and even result in her becoming lost, and if she was remarried could irreparably damage her confidence in her current marriage which the Church – such as she is – has allowed. You just might not want to be the one who sowed the seeds of doubt about the Church and her marriage into her soul.

At the risk of severe flaming, I’ve recognized that there is a certain amount of “playing along” one has to do in order to be sufficiently submissive to the Church so as not to cause scandal. It’s OK because we are on the same team; after many years I’m still trying to convince myself it isn’t my personal mission to fix the Church of her inconsistencies. (OK, the inconsistencies of her human leaders! Sheesh, in advance.)

Alan

 

[Catholic2003]

I’ve heard about cases where the first and second tribunal decisions were for nullity, but on appeal to the Roman Rota in the third instance, the marriage was held to be valid. In these cases, it is possible that one (or both) of the spouses could have remarried in the Church after the second decision.

 

[qmvsimp]

Any formal ruling by the Church can be invalid if the premises that the ruling is based on are false.

For instance, during confession your sins are forgiven. But if you have purposely left something out, then the absolution is not valid.

If all of the evidence in the annulment is true, then you have nothing to worry about.

 

[ShroudMan]

If what you wrote was honest in what your described in your statement as to why you wish your marriage annulled, but along the way your statements were transcribed or “fudged” by whomever without your knowledge, and an annullment was granted…YOU are in the clear…not your problem…thats between the dishonest person and God. Enjoy your second marriage and accept it as a gift. If however you are aware or ever become aware of any dishonesty, its your duty to report it.

And I also dont think other people should nose themselves into others lives, marriages, annullments etc. just cause they have knowledge of a certain diocese… leave people alone unless you have DIRECT evidence pertaining to that particular persons life.