How do I get an annulement?

[Primrose]

I am in the process of getting a civil divorce. He is a lapsed catholic and we didn’t get married in a Catholic church, it was a civil ceremony (he committed adultery although because we weren’t Catholic married it is fornication, but he left and lives with his girlfriend).

I’m now considering coverting but I do want to be able to marry again. Do I need to be enroled in RCIA before I start the process or can I start it now?

 

[dulcissima]

Contact the priest at your parish. You can start the process before you become a Catholic, but you might need to wait until your divorce is finalized. To get an idea of what you might need to do look at the web page of your diocese, they should have a section for the tribunal and a page of FAQ’s. You’d be wanting to look at the information for a lack of form case.

 

[jmcrae]

I am in the process of getting a civil divorce. He is a lapsed catholic and we didn’t get married in a Catholic church, it was a civil ceremony (he committed adultery although because we weren’t Catholic married it is fornication, but he left and lives with his girlfriend).

I’m now considering coverting but I do want to be able to marry again. Do I need to be enroled in RCIA before I start the process or can I start it now?

Contact a priest and get going on it the very minute the divorce comes through. You can join the RCIA Inquiry period while the Tribunal is looking into your case.

When you have received the Declaration of Nullity, you can proceed on to the various Rites of RCIA that would apply to you.

Best wishes with your conversion process!

 

[IrishAm]

Please know that, unlike a divorce, one does not “get” an annulment. The Tribunal will look at your evidence and determine if a sacramentally valid marriage did or did not exist and make its proclamation accordingly. And sometimes (not often, admittedly) they proclaim the marriage was valid.

 

[Primrose]

Please know that, unlike a divorce, one does not “get” an annulment. The Tribunal will look at your evidence and determine if a sacramentally valid marriage did or did not exist and make its proclamation accordingly. And sometimes (not often, admittedly) they proclaim the marriage was valid.

I am researching. My children are baptised Catholic and I am finding the Catholic faith making more sense to me. My ex husband, who is an Irish Catholic, hasn’t been to church for over 20 years and he chose to end the marriage when I was pregnant with our youngest (we have 4 children). I want to be able to marry again (the likelyhood does look small at the moment but I do want to have a real family).

I’m in the process of getting my oldest 2 started on their journey into the Catholic faith (holy communion) and just want to be able to convert (with the possiblity of future legal marriage), when I make the decision to become Catholic. I am a practising non-denominational Christian at the moment.

 

[1ke]

Contact your parish priest.

If your husband is a Catholic and you were married outside the Church it **should **be easy to prove the marriage is invalid due to lack of form. The priest can obtain evidence of his Catholic baptism through sacramental records and also his Sacramental records will show he has no marriage record entered. It does take investigation, paperwork, and patience. But the priest will guide you through it.

 

[puzzleannie]

I am in the process of getting a civil divorce. He is a lapsed catholic and we didn’t get married in a Catholic church, it was a civil ceremony (he committed adultery although because we weren’t Catholic married it is fornication, but he left and lives with his girlfriend).

I’m now considering coverting but I do want to be able to marry again. Do I need to be enroled in RCIA before I start the process or can I start it now?

what happened after the marriage is not considered in an annulment investigation, but the situation that pertained at the time of the marriage. If facts are as stated (and it is not possible in this forum to get all the facts) the marriage was not valid due to lack of form, that is, he was a Catholic who got married outside the Church. If you were to convert, as it stands, nothing need be done. If you ever want to remarry in the future, you would need to submit the facts of your first marriage to your pastor and related documentation. Among other things, proof he was Catholic, your marriage and divorce papers. If facts are as stated, no full-fledged annulment procedure is necessary, just a rather simple paperwork thing, but it still must be done.

When a non-Catholic approaches the pastor and asks to be prepared for reception into the Catholic Church, the first thing that happens is a rather in depth interview to bring out issues such as this. That gives the pastor time to investigate and see what, if any, action needs to be taken.

welcome home

you need not be Catholic to ask for an decision on the validity of your previous marriage to a Catholic. you can approach the nearest Catholic church and ask the pastor to begin the process now. The sooner the better is usually good because it is easier to get the documentation you need.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

. …

you need not be Catholic to ask for an decision on the validity of your previous marriage to a Catholic. you can approach the nearest Catholic church and ask the pastor to begin the process now. The sooner the better is usually good because it is easier to get the documentation you need.

Important advice for anyone who is divorced.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I am in the process of getting a civil divorce. He is a lapsed catholic and we didn’t get married in a Catholic church, it was a civil ceremony (he committed adultery although because we weren’t Catholic married it is fornication, but he left and lives with his girlfriend).

I’m now considering coverting but I do want to be able to marry again. Do I need to be enroled in RCIA before I start the process or can I start it now?

I would start the process as soon as the the civil divorce is final, with the intention to begin RCIA as soon as Inquiry for RCIA is available. You need to get your paperwork in order obtain a copy of your Marriage license, His Baptism certificate, and your Baptism certificate (for RCIA) your final Divorce papers.

 

[Primrose]

what happened after the marriage is not considered in an annulment investigation, but the situation that pertained at the time of the marriage. If facts are as stated (and it is not possible in this forum to get all the facts) the marriage was not valid due to lack of form, that is, he was a Catholic who got married outside the Church. If you were to convert, as it stands, nothing need be done. If you ever want to remarry in the future, you would need to submit the facts of your first marriage to your pastor and related documentation. Among other things, proof he was Catholic, your marriage and divorce papers. If facts are as stated, no full-fledged annulment procedure is necessary, just a rather simple paperwork thing, but it still must be done.

When a non-Catholic approaches the pastor and asks to be prepared for reception into the Catholic Church, the first thing that happens is a rather in depth interview to bring out issues such as this. That gives the pastor time to investigate and see what, if any, action needs to be taken.

welcome home

you need not be Catholic to ask for an decision on the validity of your previous marriage to a Catholic. you can approach the nearest Catholic church and ask the pastor to begin the process now. The sooner the better is usually good because it is easier to get the documentation you need.

So, to clarify that I do understand, my ex being Catholic and then marrying outside the church, then being civilly divorced, means that I don’t have to obtain a nulification if I want to become a Catholic and take the sacraments (Eucharist and marriage)?

 

[puzzleannie]

So, to clarify that I do understand, my ex being Catholic and then marrying outside the church, then being civilly divorced, means that I don’t have to obtain a nulification if I want to become a Catholic and take the sacraments (Eucharist and marriage)?

as it stands, as long as you have not remarried and are otherwise living a moral life, you can be prepared for and receive the sacraments without taking any action on your marriage. you will need to take care of this, however, should you ever wish to marry again, and sooner is easier than later. no you probably do not need a full fledged annulment but you do need to present the documentation necessary to prove this situation. make an appointment with your priest and explain your situation. only he can give an anwer about your personal situation. anything said here is in general terms.

 

[Primrose]

as it stands, as long as you have not remarried and are otherwise living a moral life, you can be prepared for and receive the sacraments without taking any action on your marriage. you will need to take care of this, however, should you ever wish to marry again, and sooner is easier than later. no you probably do not need a full fledged annulment but you do need to present the documentation necessary to prove this situation. make an appointment with your priest and explain your situation. only he can give an anwer about your personal situation. anything said here is in general terms.

Thankyou Puzzleannie. It is all very clear now, thankyou.

 

[rpp]

Primrose,

First WELCOME HOME!!!

I am sorry you have to go through the pain of a divorce, that is terrible.

I myself am a convert. I also had to get an annulment after my wife left me. When the Tribunal looks at your annulment petition, they generally only look at the circumstances of the weeding. They are trying to determine if the Sacrament of Matrimony was done in a valid and correct manner. If it was not, then they will declare the marriage invalid. Bad behavior after a marriage may be a sign of bad intent when the wedding vows were made, but they are not, in themselves, reasons for declaring a marriage null.

When I went through the annulment process, I found it very purgative. Just getting it all out really helped me. I know other people who have said the same thing.

In my case, it took about 13 months from the time I submitted my petition until I received the final judgment. In my case, my marriage was declared null.

As has been pointed out, getting divorced is not enough to keep you from the sacraments. I encourage you to dive in and fully immerse yourself in the beauties of the Catholic Church. May God richly bless you.

Also, we hope to see you here on these forums, it is often a good place to get information. I hope to see you around!

 

[quiet52]

For the Church to declare your marriage invalid, you need to submit a Petition for Declaration of Marital Nullity Due to Defect of Form (after your divorce is finalized). With that form, you need to provide a copy of your husband’s baptismal certificate, your marriage certificate, the divorce decree, and a witness affidavit (completed by someone who knew you at the time of your wedding). This is the “short” annulment process, but must be done before you begin dating anyone, let alone make plans to marry. It’s better to take care of it sooner than later.