Grounds for Marriage Annulment in the Catholic Church

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The priest is not administering the sacrament of marriage, only witnessing it. His sinfulness (and let’s face it, we are all sinful to some degree) has nothing to do with the validity of the marriage.
 
FloridaCatholic said:
I don’t think it’s a crisis. Many, many Catholics and Protestant Christians are nominally Christian. It makes sense that they dont mean the vows at the time of the marriage. And if they don’t mean what they’re saying, it’s grounds for annulment.

That’s just the nature of human beings. Christ even talks about some seeds getting thrown among the rocks or some vines being choked by thorns.
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Why does the Church make it easier for people who are not sincere?
 
Just cuz it makes sense, doesn’t mean it’s not a crisis.

Many invalid marriages by Catholics, especially on grounds a lack of proper consent are a sacrilege.

NOT NECESSARILY BY BOTH SPOUSES!

Yet one for sure, and possibly both.

I believe we definitely have a crisis in the Church concerning genuinely knowing and accepting the faith, while participating in Communion.
 
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I don’t think the church makes it easier. I just think more and more people aren’t sincere
 
That’s a crisis, when they are members participating in the Sacraments.

“Streamlining” or “making easier” an annulment process ain’t gonna fix it.
 
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The church has always had this problem. The only thing we can do is improve catechesis.
 
What however is relevant is our current Pope is trying to streamline the process.

The Davenport of Iowa Diocese now charges no fee for the process and also has an option for a shorter form annulment if both of the spouses are willing to participate with the process and both agree in their opinion the marriage was invalid.

My priest stated that the issue for priests is that the priest basically does all the work of a tribunal and sends it for review if I understand him correctly.

I agree that the Pope is on the right track in streamlining the process.
 
Many cases should be very easy to acknowledge invalidity. The more complicated ones require great attention and discernment.

But the numbers of applicants will increasingly pour in, due to broadening definitions of grounds, while NOT educating candidates for Marriage as a combatant against sacrilege.
 
People are lying on both side of the “annulment” process. People get so desperate they will say anything to get the procedure favored in their hopes; either annulled or valid.

The Marriage Tribunal knows this for it is clearly stated that you MUST agree to not sue anyone until the process is finished. You sign off on that document in the initial paperwork.

Also unlike when I engaged in the process, you could see ALL the testimony given by your former spouse and their witnesses now the diocese or a petitioner/respondent can ask for some info to be sensitive

That the problem in the diocese where Omaha, Nebraska was was A HUGE ugly lawsuit where one former spouse apparently lied to the Tribunal.
Family of the slandered spouse sued the petitioner.

Ugly .
 
1 Corinthians 6

When one of you has a grievance against a brother, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints? Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, matters pertaining to this life! If then you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who are least esteemed by the church? I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no man among you wise enough to decide between members of the brotherhood, but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers?

To have lawsuits at all with one another is defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? But you yourselves wrong and defraud, and that even your own brethren.
 
But lawsuits happen among Christians partly on account of the Church unwilling to hold unjust members accountable, and say, “Hey!! Stop this or do NOT come for His Eucharist!”
 
AlNg said:
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Gorgias:
Of course you have to divorce first!
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What if your marriage is valid? Is it OK to get a divorce if you are in a valid marriage?
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I think, as the Church affirms, sometimes civil divorce is prudent when the unjust spouse is causing harm and disregards the Church’s admonishment.

But many Catholics take that to mean divorce isn’t a sin, just remarriage. That’s a very false notion. Divorce can often be a sin!
 
Yes,it is a sad thing. Let us pray for everyone involved in the process…

Lord, hear our prayer.
 
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Mary, I am a little puzzled regarding your experience with your pastor.

On the one hand, I agree with him because he is suppose to assume your marriage was valid. Yet, you criticize because he did so. Then, in part, I can see that you were justified because the Tribunal determined it was not.

I think this is why I think pastors are caught between a rock and a hard place.

And my thought is that demanding a civil divorce is not healthy. Allow the claim to come forward before taking legal action in case the Marriage is valid in the Lord.
 
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Even when I engaged in the process 25 years ago, testimony could be withheld from one of the participants if the Tribunal had reason to believe it might endanger the other.
 
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