Does it need to be annuled?

[CradleCat]

My marriage ended in divorce. My Ex no longer attends the Catholic Church, or any church for that matter. I attend a local Catholic church. Do we need an annulment still if he doesn’t go to church? How does that work?

 

[Irishmom2]

An annulment has nothing to do with whether he attends mass or not. Please make an appointment to speak with your priest to discuss grounds for annulment. He would be able to advise you better than anyone here. Not everyone has grounds for annulment.

 

[1ke]

Do we need an annulment still if he doesn’t go to church

You don’t “need” a decree of nullity. Separation while the bond remains (including legal divorce) is a legitimate option in the Church for some situations.

You are not free to date or marry anyone else. You have a prior bond consisting of your marriage to your husband, even if you no longer live together.

If you have reason to believe your marriage was not valid, you can petition the church to investigate and issue a decree of nullity.

 

[CradleCat]

What about mental abuse?

 

[Horton]

Grounds for nullity are issues that were present before and on the day wedding vows were exchanged. What happened after the vows were exchanged are not grounds although in some situations it can be used as evidence to what was happening when the vows were exchanged.

Emotional abuse during a marriage are not generally grounds for annulment. A tribunal is looking to see if a marriage was valid or invalid. If it was a valid marriage when the vows were exchanged, nothing that happens after can make it invalid.

 

[1ke]

What about mental abuse?

Talk to your pastor.

The details matter. And we can’t get into them here.