Why are Annulments so much easier to obtain today???

[WhiteDove]

I’m sure we’re all aware the ease in obtaining a declaration of nullity today relative to yesteryear. Why do you think?

 

[space_ghost]

WhiteDove:

I’m sure we’re all aware the ease in obtaining a declaration of nullity today relative to yesteryear. Why do you think?

not totally convinced it’s easier as much as the grounds are more concise, and the taboo is of divorce/annulment has been lifted over the years…

 

[Melissa]

If you changed “The Church has become overly influenced by the moral decay of the society around us” to “Catholics, too, have become overly influenced by the moral decay of the society around us” you’d be much closer to the mark, IMO. It’s not a change in the Church, but rather in the people who’ve gotten so infected with the ‘contraception-is-ok’ and ‘as-long-as-we-both-shall-love’ mentalities w/o even realizing there’s anything wrong w/ those attitudes.

 

[JimG]

I think that there are more “null marriages.” If you examine the state and intention of the parties to a marriage, it may be surprising how often you would find one of these factors missing in one or both parties:

–the intention of *fidelity * to the partner for life.
–the intention of openness to new life.
–the intention of permanence of the marriage for life.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

Poor teaching by the Church on the meaning of marriage, and much else, which causes people to marry without full understanding of their commitment.

 

[kayla]

Easier? :ehh: Ugh!..I just got my papers to fill out for my annulment, you can only image how long it will take me to answer almost “68” personal questions about my former marrige!
and this is only the begining…it will take almost a year or two before it’s all said and done.
I do know that years and years ago, some catholics were just ex-communicated from the chruch if they divorced and remarried outside the chruch…I suppose things have changed some but it’s still a long and often times uncomfortable process to go through an annulment.

 

[tee_eff_em]

space ghost:

not totally convinced it’s easier as much as the grounds are more concise, and the taboo is of divorce/annulment has been lifted over the years…

I am also unconvinced that it is easier today. I do believe it is more commonly sought than it was in yesteryear.

I am also told that the screening at the beginning of the process is much better today, so that those cases which are unlikely to find for nullity rarely go far in the process.

tee

 

[kepha1]

We live in a culture that cannot bear the fruit necessary to produce self-less people. Everything around us: music, TV, movies, thinking and behavior, even education, is me-centred. We are the ME generation. We have a shortage of priests for the same reason we have so many divorces and annulments. How many families are reasonably functional?
It’s not the only reason, but I think it is a big one.

kepha1

 

[NightRider]

I didn’t think my annulments were that easy to obtain!! It took me quite a long time to fill out the documents and to be interviewed. It took about six months before I received an answer. I guess I just don’t know how long it used to take in other generations or how much harder it was for them to obtain. Can anyone tell us? It is an interesting topic!

 

[dal11]

i don’t think the question was about how long it takes, but more along the lines, if you apply it will be o.k.'d

 

[Northwind]

I’ve seen some statistics around the net, and there are many more petitioned today especially in the U.S. than ever before. Annulments can take well over a year to complete and as long as two years may be common. But this depends on the people involved as well as the case load for that particular diocese. Declaration of Nullity can be much quicker, sometimes only weeks, again depending on the situation and circumstances surrounding the case…if i find some good stats i’ll post them…

 

[Carolyn]

Annulments are not EASIER, their # has gone up because of the skyrocketing divorce rate. I do not believe that the church is giving people an easy way out, however I do believe if the church took a more hardcore approach during the engagment maybe this would help couples better understand the importance and seriousness of this sacrament.

 

[Penny_Plain]

NightRider:

I didn’t think my annulments were that easy to obtain!! It took me quite a long time to fill out the documents and to be interviewed. It took about six months before I received an answer. I guess I just don’t know how long it used to take in other generations or how much harder it was for them to obtain. Can anyone tell us? It is an interesting topic!

My father’s took several years, but that was in another country. I don’t know how dilligently he pursued it, though, and we moved once during the process. Would that have meant he had to start from scratch?

 

[Deacon_Ed]

The major reason there are more annulments granted (I’m not sure they’re any easier) is twofold. First, the Church has permitted the use of psychological reasons for granting an annulment. Secondly, more people are getting divorced today (Catholics are no better or worse than Protestants at remaining married which is, in itself, a sad commentary). Along with the greater number of divorces we also have a better educated laity. They are aware of the annulment process and are using it. In the past the stigma of divorce often kept people from accessing the annulment process.

Deacon Ed

 

[dmm2000]

I agree with Joe Kelley.

The sacramental nature of marriage has not been taught. Preist and lay people need to better educate themselves to this primodial sacrament. We need to better understand that in marriage, our cheif form of grace is received through our spouse. Grace from God, enabling ourselves to lay down our lifes, in order to gain eternal life.

This sacraments help us to imitate Christ and Mary, in offering our body for life, and excepting the gift of true life according to God’s Will. I know that my 2 day Pre-Cana did not make an impression on me, maybe because I was not listening.

I have heard Fr. Corapi state that if he had been a parish Priest, he would not allow many marriages, because of the misunderstanding of what marriage is to many Catholics. Marriage is a Holy Institution, not a secular institution.

Annulments are obtained today, I believe, because many people who got “married” actual did not have the understanding of the meaning of the sacrament, and therefore did not recieve the sacrament.

I pray that through better knowledge of Grace (God’s life in us through marriage), we will better serve each other in the ministry of the sacrament, and thus surrender ourselves in Love to each other and God.

Peace

 

[T.A.Stobie_SFO]

People understand less what true marriage means. Many think marriage is for legalized sex and are not willing to make sacrifices for the other.

 

[katolik]

kayla:

Easier? :ehh: Ugh!..I just got my papers to fill out for my annulment, you can only image how long it will take me to answer almost “68” personal questions about my former marrige!
and this is only the begining…it will take almost a year or two before it’s all said and done.
I do know that years and years ago, some catholics were just ex-communicated from the chruch if they divorced and remarried outside the chruch…I suppose things have changed some but it’s still a long and often times uncomfortable process to go through an annulment.

Years ago,an elder priest would question you personally. He would of worked with you to mend your marriage. Annulment was the last option. Todya, you fill out forms and your out.

 

[WBB]

Joe Kelley:

Poor teaching by the Church on the meaning of marriage, and much else, which causes people to marry without full understanding of their commitment.

I agree. The Church needs to form consciences better with regard to the definition of the Sacrament of Marriage according to the Church. Too often we are blind sided by the secular societal definition of marriage.

 

[Catholic2003]

Another factor is the “American Procedural Norms”, introduced in the U.S. in 1970 and in the rest of the world in 1973, and later incorporated in the 1983 Code of Canon Law.

Prior to these, only the “innocent party” could file for an annulment. Additionally, the rules for which diocesan tribunals had jurisdiction over a particular annulment case were more restrictive.

 

[chicago]

“No fault” divorce.