When is a Catholic woman no longer married?

[JugglingReferee]

When is a Catholic woman no longer married?

Is it when they’re divorced or at a certain stage in the annulment process, such as when the annulment completion has been notified to the applicant?

I started to date a woman years ago but it recently ended when she was cheating on me. She was divorced, and yes, we had pre-marital sex. I’m quite certain we had sex before she knew the outcome of the annulment.

Did I sleep with a married woman?

I’m going to confession when our new pastor arrives later in June.

 

[Brendan]

What an annulment would determine is if she was validly married at all.

If a Marriage Tribunal determines that the marriage is void, that means she was never married at all.

If the Marriage Tribunal determines that her marriage is valid, then she is no longer married when either her or her husband passes away.

 

[anruari]

When is a Catholic woman no longer married?
Is it when they’re divorced or at a certain stage in the annulment process, such as when the annulment completion has been notified to the applicant?

If the marriage was valid then they are no longer married when their husband dies. If they were not validly married then they were never married.

However the annulment process aso requires a person to take the assumption that if a marriage looks like it might have been valid, that it must be assumed to be valid until proven null. - (This is the same a the idea of innocent until proven guilty)

I started to date a woman years ago but it recently ended when she was cheating on me. She was divorced, and yes, we had pre-marital sex. I’m quite certain we had sex before she knew the outcome of the annulment.

Did I sleep with a married woman?

Yes. Probably. and her previous marriage had to be assumed to be valid until proven otherwise. But in any case Fornication is still Grave Matter. It is still a sin against the virtue of Chastity, and the 6th commandment.

I’m going to confession when our new pastor arrives later in June.

Why wait? you must not receive the Eucharist until you do.
If you have done so since all this started you are also guilty of that as well. I’d be on the phone tonight looking for a priest tonight or tomorrow.

 

[SonCatcher]

Brendan is correct regarding the woman’s marriage status.

The extramarital sex would either be adultery (if the annulment was not granted) or fornication (is the annulment was granted). Both are sins against the 6[sup]th[/sup] commandment (fornication is implicitly included).

 

[Joe_5859]

When is a Catholic woman no longer married?

Is it when they’re divorced or at a certain stage in the annulment process, such as when the annulment completion has been notified to the applicant?

I started to date a woman years ago but it recently ended when she was cheating on me. She was divorced, and yes, we had pre-marital sex. I’m quite certain we had sex before she knew the outcome of the annulment.

Did I sleep with a married woman?

I’m going to confession when our new pastor arrives later in June.

When you go to Confession, simply describe the situation as you have described it here and ask the priest for guidance.

 

[JugglingReferee]

I’d be on the phone tonight looking for a priest tonight or tomorrow.

My parish has only visiting priests until then. I’d rather develop a relationship with a permanent priest.

Thanks for asking.

 

[EasterJoy]

You had sex with a woman you’re not married to and who you knew wasn’t even free to marry you. Just confess that. She could have been free to marry you, after all, and what you did would still have been gravely sinful. You don’t have to split hairs about it.

Strictly speaking, though, marriage enjoys the presumption of validity. Once a couple attempts marriage in a way that might be valid, you are bound to presume the bond is still remaining until there has been a final decree that the marriage is null.

My understanding is that while there are appeals to the decision of a tribunal, those appeals are automatic if the diocesan tribunal issued a decision to grant a decree of nullity. If the diocesan tribunal issues a decision not to grant a decree of nullity, any of the parties who advocated granting a decree of nullity may choose to appeal that decision. If that happens, and if the two tribunals come to a different decision, the case is sent to Rome. IOW, when there actually is a final decision that a marriage is null, it really is final, provided there wasn’t a mistake in jurisdiction or something like that.

I’d be interested to hear if I got that part right.

 

[JugglingReferee]

I hadn’t been in a relationship for years. I mistakenly thought that I needed to give more to be in one.

I feel sick.

 

[EasterJoy]

My parish has only visiting priests until then. I’d rather develop a relationship with a permanent priest.

Thanks for asking.

That’s one thing when you are talking about venial sins. Why do you not feel an urgent need to be absolved of gravely serious sin? Do you think you have magic protection from a sudden and unprovided death? That is a very foolish assumption, friend. Besides, surely you want to return to reception of the Eucharist as soon as possible?

 

[JugglingReferee]

sudden and unprovided death? That is a very foolish assumption, friend. Besides, surely you want to return to reception of the Eucharist as soon as possible?

I’ll take my chances.

Thanks for the (name removed by moderator)ut.

 

[JugglingReferee]

So if she was granted an annulment, is she still married then?

Can she ever get married in the church again?

 

[RoseMary131]

My parish has only visiting priests until then. I’d rather develop a relationship with a permanent priest.

Thanks for asking.

You do not need a relationship with a priest for the Sacrament of Confession. Simply make your confession, receive absolution, and do your penance. Then you are in a state of grace.

Being in a state of grace is more important than developing a relationship with a priest before you seek the Sacrament from God.

When you confess, describe your sexual sins as you did here. Saying you were in a sexual relationship with a divorce woman is different than saying you were in a sexual relationship with a married woman.

You, of course, should not have been in a sexual relationship with any woman who is not your wife. However, you want Father to know she was legally not married and most likely did not have an annulment granted. The annulment doesn’t give anyone a right to sexual sins, either.

 

[RoseMary131]

So if she was granted an annulment, is she still married then?

Can she ever get married in the church again?

If someone receives an annulment, they were legally married but not validly married in a Sacramental Marriage. They were never joined together by God.

Someone with an annulment is free to marry.

 

[aemcpa]

My parish has only visiting priests until then. I’d rather develop a relationship with a permanent priest.

Thanks for asking.

Go to confession now. You can develop a spiritual direction relationship with your pastor once he comes, but you need to go to confession as soon as possible, visiting priest or no.

 

[aemcpa]

So if she was granted an annulment, is she still married then?

Can she ever get married in the church again?

The decree of nullity is a public declaration by the Church that something was lacking in the form, matter or intent that prevented a true marriage from occurring. A person whose previous marriage has been declared null is free to marry in the Church, assuming whatever impediments caused the first marriage to be declared null are no longer present.

 

[RoseMary131]

I’ll take my chances.

Thanks for the (name removed by moderator)ut.

Why would you want to take chances with being in a state of mortal sin -vs- a state of grace?

So, you say to God, “I sinned. I know I sinned. I feel sick. I’ll go to Confession another day when I can develop a relationship with the priest.”

Maybe you feel sick because you realize your body and soul are in a state of mortal sin. Maybe the Sacrament of Confession will heal that “sick feeling”. Take a chance and go to confession as soon as possible.

God bless.

 

[TheRealJuliane]

I’ll take my chances.

Thanks for the (name removed by moderator)ut.

Please don’t be so cavalier about the possibility of being eternally separated from God.

 

[EasterJoy]

I hadn’t been in a relationship for years. I mistakenly thought that I needed to give more to be in one.

I feel sick.

It stings my heart to hear that you felt that pressure and burden, and mine is only a small shadow of the compassion God has for you and your situation. Please avail yourself of the Sacrament of Reconciliation as soon as possible. It is not called a sacrament of healing for nothing!

I’ve been to confession to priests I don’t know or who are not my regular confessors, and those have been some of the most fruitful experiences I have ever had in the confessional. Don’t hesitate! Jump in!!

I’ll take my chances.

Thanks for the (name removed by moderator)ut.

I’m not sure you understand your situation. The idea that you are free to take your own good time about repenting from and confessing a serious sin includes an attitude of presumption: that is, when you decide to “take your chances”, you are presuming upon the grace of God to save you while you fail to stir yourself towards your own conversion as God gave you the ability and knowledge to do. Do not neglect to examine yourself on that account, as well. An attitude like that is itself an offense against God’s grace and God’s desire for your conversion, such that if you persist in it, you ought to confess it, provided that you live long enough to do so, as we all hope you will.

*From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
**2091 ** The first commandment is also concerned with sins against hope, namely, despair and presumption: (1864)

By despair, man ceases to hope for his personal salvation from God, for help in attaining it or for the forgiveness of his sins. Despair is contrary to God’s goodness, to his justice—for the Lord is faithful to his promises—and to his mercy.

*2092 ** There are two kinds of presumption. Either man presumes upon his own capacities, (hoping to be able to save himself without help from on high), or he presumes upon God’s almighty power or his mercy (hoping to obtain his forgiveness without conversion and glory without merit). (2732)

 

[SonCatcher]

I hadn’t been in a relationship for years. I mistakenly thought that I needed to give more to be in one.

I feel sick.

Mistakenness could mitigate the seriousness somewhat, if it helps. Now that you are aware of the gravity of your mistake, I am sure you are less apt to repeat it.

Seek peace.

 

[PennyinCanada]

When is a Catholic woman no longer married?

Is it when they’re divorced or at a certain stage in the annulment process, such as when the annulment completion has been notified to the applicant?

I started to date a woman years ago but** it recently ended when she was cheating on me. **She was divorced, and yes, we had pre-marital sex. I’m quite certain we had sex before she knew the outcome of the annulment.

Did I sleep with a married woman?

I’m going to confession when our new pastor arrives later in June.

It’s funny, the word cheating. You were dating, which implies that the 2 of you are discerning marriage to each other, and she was not free to marry. Having sex with you meant that she was cheating on her husband. In my mind, it’s a stretch to say that she was cheating on you, even though another man was involved. Basically, she cheated on her husband with 2 men. Splitting hairs I guess, for such a serious matter.

I wanted to mention the pill. The pill works in 2 ways, 1) it suppresses ovulation, but the low dosage doesn’t always for sure suppress ovulation, and an egg can be released. (The lower dosage is safer and has less side effects) However, the second action of the pill is… 2) it makes the uterus inhospitable to the egg that is released. Should an egg be fertilized, it will not be able to implant in the uterus, and it is expelled as an early abortion. Women who are sexually active, may indeed in the course of a year and 13 cycles, abort a baby or two. It may be that she may have aborted a child of yours and no one knows but God and that baby. I don’t know if she was on the pill but now you have the information and you can make wise decisions for yourself and whoever you may decide to date in the future.