Divorce/remarriage/annulment

  • Thread starter Thread starter jimbob66
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
J

jimbob66

Guest
Can someone clear this up for me even though I’m living in England?

I’m 67, and want to return to faith after 50 years away. I was Baptised and Confirmed into the C of E but now seek to join the RCC. I was about to start an RCIA course at Liverpool Cathedral but then problems arose about my divorce and subsequent remarriage. I gave details of the situation to a Canon at the cathedral and he said he thought my case was very weak but I’d need to seek an annulment in any event.
Am I reading this correctly? If I seek annulment of my first marriage and that is refused along with any appeals, does that close the door totally on any possibility of joining the RCC?
 
I don’t know - I think you need to sit down with your Priest and talk. I would encourage you to begin RCIA. I will pray for you.
 
I’m not qualified to speculate. This is a discussiom to have with a priest, but no, I don’t think all roads to Rome are automatically closed to you if you aren’t granted an annulment.
 
The problem is that I’m not allowed on the RCIA until I’ve submitted my case to an Ecclesiastical Tribunal. Given the Canon’s initial response, there seems no point going through all that turmoil if I know the result. I made the decision to go to the cathedral rather than my local church as I don’t feel particularly at ease with the priest. I did need his approval to look to the cathedral’s RCIA and he agreed but obviously he didn’t need to express an opinion on annulments.
Have you an inkling of the other paths to Rome that you mention, or, do you know of other catholic churches that are not so strict re this specific problem. I use catholic not in the anglo-catholic way there.
 
In the U.S. at my parish, we have had divorced/remarried go through RCIA. They did have to wait for a decision on their annulment request before they were received into the church.
 
Annulments are very dependent on having your case presented in an advantageous way. In other words you need someone to work with you to develop the case… I have a friend who was told he was being too nice. He rewrote it and eventually got it. The Holy Spirit will decide. The question I believe is: was the first marriage valid? There are lots of reasons it may not have been. I am older than you and I am no expert but happy to discuss in a private message. I can give you lots of ideas! Good luck.
 
There is no way to determine whether your prior marriage was valid or invalid except through the annulment process. There is no way in to the Church except to go through this process. Speak to a priest to get started on the paperwork. You will need an advocate and the priest you speak to can set that up. The advocate may be the priest or a deacon, or it could be a person of the laity who has been specifically trained to do so.

In the US you do not have to wait to start RCIA until your marriage case is completed although you can certainly choose to do so.

If it were me, I would start the annulment process and take it from there.
 
Pretty relaxed as far as I know. No impediments to joining the Church.
 
I understand what you are saying but I spoke with the canon lawyer at Liverpool Cathedral. He told me my case was weak and I was advised to seek a Canon Lawyer at my own diocese, Shrewsbury, to go further. He didn’t seem to think there was much chance. I’m not prepared to play semantic games with this and I’m certainly not going to involve my ex. I was just wondering if the process could be circumvented and then move to something else. You’ve answered my question, thanks.
 
My marriage was valid in my eyes and I know it’s a bit of a game to build a case to show, in Church Law that it wasn’t. I’ve had chats about how to do that but why should I even consider bending the truth? Anyway, thanks for your reply and the offer of help.
 
You may not be the best judge! You did get divorced so something wasn’t right.
 
Nevertheless, contact your Archdiocese’s tribunal, as "marriage’ as defined by the Church is more nuanced than simply being married - either in a church or outside of it. This is assuming that your ex is still living, of course.
 
jimbob66 said:
Can someone clear this up for me even though I’m living in England?

I’m 67, and want to return to faith after 50 years away. I was Baptised and Confirmed into the C of E but now seek to join the RCC. I was about to start an RCIA course at Liverpool Cathedral but then problems arose about my divorce and subsequent remarriage. I gave details of the situation to a Canon at the cathedral and he said he thought my case was very weak but I’d need to seek an annulment in any event.
Am I reading this correctly? If I seek annulment of my first marriage and that is refused along with any appeals, does that close the door totally on any possibility of joining the RCC?
Click to expand...
I was in a situation like that. My current wife is Catholic, her first husband died. I was a Methodist and divorced from my first wife. My case too weak so no annulment.
I had to make a vow to the priest in charge of our RCIA group that my wife and I would live a live of continence (no sex) and I was allowed to become a Catholic.
 
You need to pursue the annulment so that you and the Catholic Church can understand your weaknesses and potential situations that need to be fixed. By joining RCIA, you are undertaking a commitment to join the Church, and you don’t want to disregard a previous failed commitment as if it was unrelated. Also, any annulment case will involve not only your ex-spouse, but witnesses. Only the ex-spouse can decline to get involved. You can’t simply leave her out of the process.
 
Is your first husband still living?

Is you second husband living? If so would he be willing to live in continence if your first marriage is found to be valid?
 
Sursumcorda1 said:
By joining RCIA, you are undertaking a commitment to join the Church,
Click to expand...
I’m sorry but this comment needs correction. One is never committed to joining the Church during RCIA. In all reality a person could go through the whole thing and then decide at the last minute to not join. The commitment is made once one decides to join the Church, and not before.
 
Sursumcorda1 said:
“Undertaking” must have a different definition with you.
Click to expand...
“Exploring” or “investigating” a commitment, would be better word choices. “Undertaking” means a formal pledge or promise to do something.
 
Last edited:
It also means “to take on a task” which is the usual use of the word. It conveys a serious effort toward a goal.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top